Forgiving, Forgetting, and Maybe Some Flirting
by Charmed-and-More
Summary: Vlad is basically a free man thanks to Danny, so what now? A series of short stories following my fic Rehabilitating Vlad. Crossovers, apologies, bonding with Vlad, and more! LATEST: Psych cross-over with Julia involved.
1. 1 Deleted Scenes

**Alright! I'm kicking off this story, er series, with the deleted scenes from ****Rehabilitating Vlad****, as promised. **

**If you are reading this without reading ****RV**** then bear with me until the next update. I want to make this readable for people who didn't read ****RV**** but you'll just have to keep in mind (if you're one of those people) that Vlad will be a good guy in all of the mini-stories. If you can live with that then you should be able to enjoy them.**

**Okay, this first one would have been in Chapter 12 after Danny says "I mean, if there's anything you can think of . . ." in place of Maddie replying with "I'll let you know. . ."**

There was silence.

"Anything?" Maddie suddenly repeated.

Danny gave her a questioning look.

"Well," she began hesitantly, "it might help if I could, you know, _see_ how capable you are of – I mean, your father and I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable-,"

Danny smiled at his mom tripping over her words. "A demonstration? Of my powers?" he clarified for her with a raised eyebrow. It's true he hadn't really showed his parents all that he was capable of. Sure they had witnessed (and tried to help with) a few fights, but it was clear that they still didn't have the whole picture.

Maddie's cheeks burned red and she nodded yes.

"Mom, I think . . . that that's a good idea," Danny said much to his mom's surprise, "In fact, it works out perfectly. I just called Valerie tonight to see if she'd mind coming over tomorrow cuz, you know, I figured she should know about what's going on, and she can help with this."

"Really? You mean you really wouldn't mind? I don't want you to feel like we're studying you. I want to see as your mom, not a scientist." She brushed some of his hair away from his eyes as she said this to show she meant it.

**Then I was either gonna end the convo there with this:**

Danny chuckled. "I understand, Mom," he paused to give her a kiss on the cheek, "I know you won't treat me like a lab rat. Now, we should probably get some sleep," he finished as he stood up. The two said goodnight and went upstairs to go to bed.

**Or keep going with this:**

Danny chuckled. "If I do feel uncomfortable, it won't be because I feel like a lab rat, Mom, it'll be because of all the attention being on me. But I've gotten better at handling that over the past few months."

Maddie smiled. "You certainly have. I remember when you used to get an upset stomach every time you had a project to present in school," Maddie chuckled, "And now you handle the pressure so well."

Danny grinned. "I don't really have a choice."

"No, I suppose you don't. But still, the way you handled those ghosts today was . . . impressive."

Danny looked away, embarrassed. "That was nothing. It was just Skulker and Ember. Not like Vlad or-," Danny stopped. His eyes went wide. He had been so careful these past few days not to mention how Vlad used to be so that his parents didn't ask about it anymore, like they had on the first day. He could see his mom's eyes cloud with disapproval because she knew he was trying to keep his and Vlad's past from her.

"Danny," she said slowly. He looked her in the eyes and knew he had to say something.

"Alright, it's true that we fought . . . a lot . . . and hurt eachother . . . a lot . . . and yah, I considered him my worst enemy, but I handled him."

"Like the time he shot you when he was trying to shoot . . . uh, himself?"

Danny laughed. "Now _that_ really was an accident."

"Oh really?" Maddie said in a I-don't-see-anything-funny-about-this kind of tone.

"Yah, you see Vlad was planning on shooting the duplicate of his ghost half so that he'd look like a hero. What he didn't know was that I overshadowed his duplicate. So when he shot at us, I made it look like he shot me," Danny explained.

"But he did shoot you," Maddie pointed out, still not getting it.

"Yes, but he didn't mean to. I wanted to make him look bad so that he would get rid of all those stupid laws he passed to make me and my friends miserable. And it worked," Danny finished.

"Hm, crafty."

"Him or me?"

"Both."

"Now you're getting it."

**Then they would have gone to bed. I don't remember why I took this out. I really liked it. I guess the problem was that the purpose of this part was to introduce Valerie without having to actually write out their phone conversation. And it was a little off topic cuz the plot needed moving forward and this just didn't help with that.**

**This also got cut from Chapter 12. It was a tough chapter to write. I hadn't really finished planning the story and so I got stuck and had to try a few things before I came up with something I liked. So this would have been right after the whole scene with Aragon. **

Danny was the first one into the Op-Center. He sank into one of the chairs that sat in front of one of the many control panels and changed back out of ghost-mode. He sat there lost in thought and hardly noticed the absolute silence that had overcome his family, friends, and allies once they had filed in after him.

Skulker and Ember stood away from everyone else and all eyes were on them since they seemed to be having a silent argument. Ember, of course, won and shoved Skulker towards Danny's chair.

"Uh," Skulker began. Danny turned the chair around so he was facing the uneasy ghost.

**Then it could have continued like this:**

"We're sorry we didn't get here in time to really warn you about . . . that," Skulker finally managed to get out.

"No, don't sweat it," Danny replied, "I mean, it went . . . okay, right?"

There was silence as nobody answered him.

"Oh, who am I kidding? That was bad. Really bad," Danny began to fall apart, "I mean, what was I thinking? I told them to come back! I made Aragon look like a total loser; I'm lucky he didn't slit my throat right then and there!"

Sam and Tucker rushed forward to try to console their friend like they used to when it was just them and nobody else knew Danny's secret.

"No, he deserved it," Sam insisted as she put a hand on one of Danny's shoulders.

"Yah man," Tucker said, coming to put his hand on the other, "you did what you had to do. You showed 'em who's boss."

"Whoa." The three friends turned to look at Skulker. "Is he always like this after he stands up to one of us?"

**You can kinda see where that was going and it wouldn't have been too pretty. More conflict was so not what the story needed. I also didn't like Danny having a melt down after he had shown such strength in handling Aragon so I changed it to this (picking up again after "Danny turned the chair…"): **

This seemed to make Skulker even more embarrassed and he looked around as if noticing the Op-Center for the first time. "So your parents built this thing?"

"Argh!" Ember stepped forward fuming, "Is this really that hard for you?" she spat at Skulker, her eyes shining bright with anger. She turned to Danny and her expression softened.

"We wanted to apologize. We were supposed to warn you before that got here, but we were too late. We're sorry," she explained.

"But I really was wondering-" Skulker began.

"Shut it," Ember snapped at him.

Danny smiled. "Thanks, but don't sweat it, I'm used to annoying ghosts showing up unannounced. You should know that," he added in a friendly teasing manner.

Ember returned the smile.

"You know he was kind of insulting us, right?" Skulker bent down to talk in Ember's ear though everyone could hear him.

Ember rolled her eyes. "Who cares? We should go. The others will want to know what happened. Catcha later, Dipstick," Ember said casually.

"Yah, I'll be seeing you," Danny said back, "oh and Skulker," the big ghost turned around, "yes, my parents did build this."

"So?" Skulker replied as if his asking had just been an act to get out of apologizing.

"So you think it's cool," Danny answered smugly. He had watched the way Skulker looked at all the shiny buttons on the control panel, so longing and full of admiration. It wasn't an act.

"Well," Skulker knew he had been caught but refused to admit it, "it's hardly state of the art."

"Look who's talking," Danny shot back.

"Nice," Ember complimented Danny's come-back, "now seriously, let's go!" She grabbed Skulker and the two disappeared with a lingering glare from Skulker.

**I liked this, but I didn't know what to do from here with all the people left in the room together! So I decided it was better and more to-the-point to end the scene without this.**

**The last one I have for you (I know, I thought I had more but I don't type up much that I end up not using so this is it.) would have appeared in Chapter 15 at the end, right after Tucker goes "Ice cream? I'm in!"**

"Ice cream?" a deep voice thundered into the room. "Where are you going to get ice cream at this hour?" Skulker asked as he materialized near the Team.

"Yah, you know it's like 4 in the morning!" Ember added as she appeared beside Skulker.

"Nice timing, you two," Danny commented dryly.

"Well we got here eventually!" Ember pointed out.

"Yes, but you missed the fight," Vlad countered.

"Hey, that skeleton army was no walk in the park!" Skulker complained, "They just kept coming and coming! There's so many of them!"

"So how'd you get rid of them?" Sam asked.

"They just disappeared all of a sudden," Skulker said as if it really did confuse him.

Danny smirked. "Well whatever, there's ice cream at my house so we're outta here." The Team continued heading towards the exit.

"Have your fun tonight, ghost child," Skulker called after him, "Tomorrow, the truce is over!"

"Got it!" Danny called back, before he disappeared with the Team, leaving Skulker and Ember alone in Vlad's old lab.

**I like the way I wound up ending it instead. Anyways, that's it for deleted scenes. Again, I apologize that I didn't have many, but that's just the way I work I guess. Stay tuned for the next update! Um, I have no clue what it will be! But it will be good! Yah . . . oh and remember it won't be for a couple days cuz of my stupid wisdom teeth having to come out. But I will be back! :)**

**Big thank yous to all my reviewers for the last few chapters of ****RV****: goth.one, Luiz4200, Cantdecideonaname, Artgirl4, TPcrazy, New Ghost Girl, Jessica01, Invader Johnny, Miriam1, and PunkMichPhantom! Thanks guys! You rock! **

**Oh and especially thanks to those of you who wished me luck with my teeth (you know who you are)! That was sweet of you!**


	2. 2 Kim Possible XOver

**Hey! I'm back! So here's the deal, after days of being all woozy from pain killers I sat down with a clear head and tried to write something. This is what came out. It's a Kim Possible crossover, which is not what I had planned to start with but I can't help it! So enjoy… oh and remember this is after my story ****Rehabilitating Vlad**** for DP and after "So the Drama" I guess for KP (cuz I haven't really watched it since then). Oh except she has that cool car that her brothers built. Okay onto the story…**

**But first I'd also like to thank latecomers goldacharmed and inukagome15 for their lovely reviews! You rock! For real now, here it is…**

Kim Possible, followed closely by her faithful side kick and boyfriend, Ron Stoppable, entered the four-story mansion and immediately rolled her eyes.

"Well, there's no mistaking who the guest of honor is here," she quipped, taking in the flood of decorations that covered the fancy décor of the entranceway. Balloons, streamers, and banners draped the front hall in an elegant black and white, each bearing the infamous DP logo.

"It's his birthday; it's a big deal," Ron reminded her.

"As if _every_ teenager rents out a giant mansion and invites hundreds of people to come party in it when _they_ turn a year older," Kim pointed out. Ron only shrugged in response.

"Come on, let's go find the little super star," she muttered as she made her way into the next room. Ron followed her, eyeing a table of refreshments in the corner. Kim was too busy pushing her way through the crowd to notice him leave her side.

"Who are all these people?" she wondered. Kim glanced around her and realized she actually recognized most of them because, well, they were rich and famous.

"Like Danny Phantom," she thought and couldn't help but roll her eyes again. In her opinion it was ridiculous to give one person as much attention as the world was giving this teenager. She had seen first hand once what money and attention can do to a person and she did not like it. She shuddered, remembering how sad Ron had been when all his so-called friends stopped hanging out with him because he stopped being rich.

Speaking of Ron, Kim looked around her and noticed he had slunk away to the corner where they were serving cheese cubes and other small pieces of food. "Of course," she mumbled and began making her way towards him.

"Do you see him?" she asked when she reached the table and her cheese-loving boyfriend.

"Who?" Ron asked with a cheese cube on a tooth pick poised at his mouth.

"Uh hello?" Kim couldn't believe she really had to remind him, "Danny Phantom?! The half-teen-half-ghost super hero, who saved the world and in return received fame and fortune that apparently, though not surprisingly, has gone straight to his head."

Ron smirked, "If I didn't know any better, I'd say someone was a bit jealous."

"I am _not_ jealous," Kim practically screamed at him, "It's just, I mean, Ron, you and I have saved the world hundreds of times and sure we get thanked for it, but at least we're _humble_ about it. Just look at this place!"

"Yah, it's pretty cool."

"Ron-" Kim began to scold her boyfriend, but was interrupted by a man carrying a tray with martini glasses on it. Filling the glasses was some kind of green liquid with a strawberry on a plastic sword on the side.

"Phantom-tini?" the man offered, "No alcohol."

Kim gave Ron a do-you-get-what-I'm-saying-now? look.

"Okay, I know what you mean," Ron replied after shooing the man away, "And I agree with you. Fame, fortune, super powers, _and _drinks named after him? This kid holds way too many cards. I can only imagine what would happen if someone were to get on his bad side. Like if he was here, at his party, having a whole lotta fun, and then someone were to come up to him and just ruin that fun . . . with like some serious stuff to talk about . . . like we have to . . ." Ron's breathing got extremely shallow and he began wheezing, "Kim, I don't think this is a good idea."

"Ron! You can't seriously be afraid of Danny Phantom! Not only does he swear to only use his powers for good, but, come on, ghosts? So not scary. We've faced worst, trust me."

"Ki-im," Ron persisted, "the guy can shoot green glowing beams from his hands!"

"Oh and _that_ doesn't sound like anybody we know," Kim snapped.

Ron thought about it for a second. "Oh, right, but still!"

"But nothing! Come on, we've got three more floors to try," Kim said, ignoring Ron's protests and dragging him over to an elevator she had spotted.

Three floors and five Phantom-tini offers later . . .

Kim and Ron got into the elevator again and Ron automatically pressed the button for the next floor up.

"Maybe he knows we're looking for him and he's avoiding us," Ron suggested, referring to the fact that they had been searching for what seemed like hours and still had not found the Phantom. "It wouldn't be that hard," Ron continued, "considering he can make himself invisible!"

"Well that would be rude and childish," Kim replied, ". . . you're probably right."

The elevator doors slid open to reveal the brilliant night sky as the couple found themselves on the roof of the party mansion.

"Oh, oops! Looks like we ran outta floors," Ron felt the need to explain, "I don't think we looked hard enough on the second floor, you know, the one with the cheese fountain, yah, let's go back there." Ron turned to get back in the elevator but Kim stopped him.

"Wait," she said, squinting around at the darkness that surrounded them, "do you hear voices?"

They both froze in place and listened to the low murmur of voices coming from behind the elevator.

"That is _not_ O'Ryan's Belt; you're _way_ off!" a female voice taunted, rising above the murmur.

"Well, what is it then?" Kim and Ron were able to hear a male voice respond.

"It's nothing," the female voice then answered.

The male voice didn't agree. "Nothing?! How can that be nothing? It's all-Jazz! Jazz, isn't that O'Ryan's Belt?"

Kim and Ron had to strain to hear the third person joining the conversation. "Whatever it is, you're wrong, Sam's right," a new female voice, Jazz apparently, stated abruptly.

Kim tugged on Ron's sleeve and crept forward to peer around the elevator. Ron got the message and followed her.

They could see a guy and a girl leaning on the guardrail perched on the edge of the roof as they gazed up at the night sky. They both had black hair and appeared to be in black semi-formal wear for the party. A little farther away was a girl with orange hair sitting on a crate and talking to another girl with dark skin and long brown hair. They were both in party dresses and seemed to be deep in conversation.

"Well, there you have it," the black-haired girl said, referring to Jazz's answer. The boy shot her a pouty face, but then smiled and leaned in for a kiss.

Ron jerked Kim back behind the elevator.

"Kim, that's Danny Phantom!" he hissed.

"It is?" Kim asked surprised, "How can you tell?"

"The all black and silver tie, come on Kim," Ron said as if it were obvious, "that's his signature look."

"Yah and since it's _his_ signature look, do you know how many _other _people are wearing it right now?" Kim whispered back.

"Oh," Ron replied, sounding deflated, "good point."

"Besides why would Danny Phantom be hanging out on the roof when he could be partying with a whole house of rich and famous people?"

"I like the view?"

Kim and Ron turned around to see that they were no longer talking in private. The boy and girl were peeking around the corner of the elevator, listening to them apparently.

The girl turned to whack the guy on the shoulder. Kim realized it was because he had spoken and blown their cover.

"Wait, so you _are_ Danny Phantom?" she blurted out as it dawned on her that he had answered her question as if he were.

"Guilty," Danny replied as he came forward with a hand outstretched, "and you are?"

Before Kim could respond, the girl whacked Danny on the shoulder again.

"Ow," Danny complained, using the hand he had offered Kim to rub where he had been hit. Twice. "I was going to introduce you in a second. Cut me some slack, I'm new at this, remember?"

The girl rolled her eyes and pulled Danny closer to her. "I don't care if you introduce me," she hissed, "but you should recognize who you're about to introduce me to and I don't think you do."

Danny looked at Kim, clueless, then back to his girlfriend and shrugged.

Sam sighed. "Kim Possible," she stated.

"Oh," Danny replied, then he comprehended it and let out a more meaningful "oh!"

"I am so sorry," he said, grabbing Kim's hand, "I really am new at this and I feel really bad that you knew who I was right away and I didn't recognize you." Kim smiled to show that there were no hard feelings. "Although, to be honest, I really wouldn't be able to recognize the majority of those people below us so uh, don't feel left out," Danny finished lamely.

"Nice," Sam commented sarcastically. Then she turned on a smile and said to Kim and Ron, "I'm Sam by the way."

Kim shook her hand, then introduced Ron, causing another round of hand-shaking.

"I don't get it," Kim spoke up since she was still confused, "It's your party, but you don't even know the guests?"

Danny laughed, but it was without humor. "Yah," he started slowly, "this wasn't exactly my idea." He shared a look with Sam.

"Whose idea was it then?" Kim asked.

Just then the elevator dinged and a boy also in casual party clothes and with dark skin got off.

"Guys!" he exclaimed upon seeing Danny and Sam.

"Speaking of the devil," Danny muttered.

"What are you doing up here? You're supposed to be down there, you know, schmoozing," the boy scolded, completely ignoring Kim and Ron.

"Schmoozing, Tucker?" Sam replied, shooting him her best you-gotta-be-kidding-me look.

"Mingling, idly chatting, partying, whatever you want to call it, just why aren't you doing it?" He was getting mad now.

The elevator dinged again and revealed an older man with silver hair.

"Ah, here comes my designated schmoozer now," Danny said with a concealed smirk.

Tucker turned around to see the newcomer and got even madder.

"Vlad?!" he practically yelled. "You sent _Vlad_ to mingle with your guests?! What kind of a message does that send to your future friends?"

"Welcome, Danny hopes you're having a great time," Vlad answered.

Tucker just gaped at him.

"What? Don't look at me, Danny told me what to say," Vlad explained. When Tucker still didn't respond, he began making his way through the teens. "We still got that cooler of water up here? Those Phantom-tinis are not thirst-quenching at all," he continued as he disappeared behind the elevator.

"Totally," Ron suddenly spoke up, reminding the three friends that him and Kim were still there, "and what's up with that weird after taste?"

Danny laughed. "Come on," he said, motioning for Kim and Ron to follow him around to where Vlad had gone behind the elevator, "I think we've got something to fix that."

Kim and Ron followed Danny, Sam, and the still fuming Tucker to where the two girls were talking on the crates. Vlad had joined them, though they weren't speaking to him, and was opening a bottle of water he had apparently retrieved from the cooler full of sodas and water bottles that was off to the side.

"Welcome to the real party," Danny announced, then pointed to the cooler. "Help yourself." Ron did so before pulling up crates for him and Kim.

"Real party," Tucker echoed sarcastically.

"Yah, like the kind we used to have before the world found out my secret and I became famous," Danny said, trying to shake Tucker out of his sour mood.

"And before _his_ fame went to _your_ head," Sam chimed in.

"The only thing I remember us doing before all this was ghost fighting," Tucker replied, letting a smile creep onto his face.

Danny laughed and patted his friend on the shoulder as they all sat down on the other crates and formed a circle. "True."

Danny looked around and realized he had to make introductions again. "Everybody, this is Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable. Kim and Ron, this is my friend Tucker, over there is my sister Jazz, and beside her is our friend Valerie." Danny paused, thinking he was finished, but then he saw Vlad. "Oh and the old guy's Vlad."

"Thanks a lot," Vlad said sarcastically as he loosened his tie.

"Kim Possible, really?" Valerie spoke up. Kim just nodded. This was a lot to take in. She barely had time to process it all. Here she was meeting the boy she had read and heard so much about the past few months and he was nothing like she expected. "You are like _the_ role model for strong women everywhere," Valerie gushed.

"Thanks," Kim said, blushing a bit.

"Speaking of strong women," Valerie said, getting up and pulling Jazz with her, "we're going down to the party."

"We are?" Jazz asked somewhat fearfully.

"Yes, you need to seriously loosen up hon," Valerie explained, "now come on, let's go hit on some famous dudes." And with that Valerie dragged the protesting Jazz to the elevator and disappeared inside of it.

"At least _someone's_ going to enjoy the party," Tucker complained, turning sour again.

Danny rolled his eyes.

"Dude, I thought this was what you wanted," Tucker continued.

"No, this was what _you_ wanted," Danny reminded him, "_I_ suggested bowling."

Tucker considered this for a moment. "Oh right," he admitted. He turned to his friend with a guilty smile. "Sorry."

Danny returned the smile. "Don't sweat it," he said reassuringly, "but if it's alright with you I'm still gonna hang up here on the roof with my real friends, okay?" Tucker nodded. "That reminds me, what were you two doing on the roof?" Danny asked, turning to Kim and Ron.

"Looking for you actually," Kim replied, suddenly remembering her mission, "We came to ask you about something important." She pulled out a photograph and handed it to Danny. "It concerns Mr. Masters," she explained hesitantly with a glance in Vlad's direction.

"Oh goody," Vlad said dryly as he leaned over to look at the picture Kim had given to Danny. He gasped and practically snatched the photo.

"That's the Blaster Bazooka 9.0 that I designed, but never got around to using!" Vlad exclaimed. "What is it doing in the hands of this blue man? He's not even holding it correctly!"

"Mr. Masters, where was this, as well as your other weapons, being kept while you were undergoing trial?" Kim asked authoritatively.

"In my old mansion," Vlad answered, "in an underground lab under a lot of security."

"You mean where-?" Danny began and was cut off by a curt nod from Vlad. The two stared at each other and if Kim didn't know any better she would have thought they were communicating telepathically.

"Mr. Masters," she said to get Vlad's attention back.

"Call me Vlad please," Vlad replied, breaking his silent conversation with Danny to look at Kim.

"Okay, Vlad," Kim continued, "We have reason to believe someone is distributing your old weapons or selling them on some kind of black market. Does anyone have access to them?"

"And by that you mean do _I _have access to them?" Vlad asked with a smirk.

"Well, yes," Kim admitted.

"No," Vlad answered honestly, "nobody has been allowed except the government agents who boarded it up. The estate and all it's contents still remain off-limits to me and the public as well. Honestly, I have no clue what the government plans on doing with it."

"They were considering handing the lab and weapons over to my parents since they're the experts, but I think your new friendly relationship with them has the agents putting the decision on hold," Danny explained to Vlad.

"You're sure no one can get into it?" Kim asked, steering the conversation back to her mission.

"Positive," Danny answered her, "we've seen it for ourselves. However…" Danny seemed to get lost in thought.

"You don't think…?" Vlad asked him.

"It'd be so incredibly stupid, but I wouldn't be surprised," Danny replied.

"What?" Kim demanded, fed up with the unfinished sentences.

"Ghosts would have no problem getting into the mansion," Danny admitted.

"Especially after we were there," Vlad added, being careful to avoid explaining why they were there since Danny was making it clear he didn't want to tell Kim and Ron about the whole Fright Knight incident.

"Ghosts selling anti-ghost weapons?" Ron laughed, "That would be pretty stupid."

"But sadly, not unlikely," Sam reminded everyone.

"Let's go," Danny said, standing up.

"Go where?" Kim asked, but she stood up too.

"To Vlad's old mansion, it's not far from here."

"You mean leave the party?" Sam asked, getting up, "Count me in." She and Danny then turned to Tucker.

"Just be back in time to cut the cake," he muttered with a sigh.

"You could come with us," Danny suggested.

"Nah," Tucker said as he got up and headed to the elevator, "you were right; this is what I wanted. I might as well enjoy it." He swiveled back around, "Plus Val and Jazz are going to need a shoulder to cry on when they get turned down and, lucky me, I've got two perfect shoulders right here."

"Keep dreamin'," Sam called to him, but Tucker ignored her and got into the elevator.

Danny turned to see that Vlad was the only one still sitting. "You coming?" he asked.

"Of course," Vlad replied, "but how are we going to get there?"

"I brought my car," Kim suggested.

Danny, Sam, and Vlad traded looks.

"As long as it's fast," Danny said with doubt in his tone.

Kim just smiled and motioned for them to follow her to the elevator.

**Like I said earlier, I'm not good with one-shots so this will be a two-shot. It might be the next update, it might not. I really don't know what I'll feel like writing next! But it will be soon cuz I just switched to a MacBook and I am looking for any reason to be on it!**


	3. 3 Kim Possible XOver Part 2

**Okay so I've been playing with this for exactly a week now and I'm tired of it! I like it, but it took me a long time to write. So here it is, the second (very long) half of the KP crossover, enjoy!**

"Next birthday, I'm asking for a car like that."

Sam rolled her eyes. "Danny," she pleaded with her boyfriend as they made their way up the driveway leading to Vlad's old mansion, "you talked about nothing but Kim's car for the whole ride over here!"

Danny gave her a scowl.

"I'm just saying," Sam replied, putting her hands up in a mock-surrender. "Besides," she continued, "you do realize that we were only going like 50, you can fly _twice_ as fast!"

In response to this, Danny gave her a different kind of glare. One that seemed to say, "Please don't brag about my powers in front of the other heroes!" Sam smiled, finding this slightly humorous.

Plus it was too late; Ron had already heard her. "You can fly at a hundred miles per hour?!" he shouted, gawking at Danny.

"Yah," Danny said with a shrug and a slight blush, "well, it comes in handy."

All of a sudden Vlad stopped walking. The group had been following him up to the steps leading to the front door of the mansion so when he stopped so did everyone else, except Danny who crept to Vlad's side.

"What is it?" he asked cautiously.

"Last time we were here I distinctly remember there being boards nailed across the door," Vlad explained.

Everyone silently stared at the not-boarded-up set of double doors in front of them. Almost perfectly in sync, Danny and Kim moved and began ascending the stairs. The others followed their lead.

Danny, having reached the doors first since he had been closest, tried the handle of one of the doors. It opened soundlessly. "Hm, that's not at all suspicious," he quipped.

"Ghosts wouldn't need to use the door," Kim pointed out.

"True," Vlad agreed, "but only ghosts could remove the boards without leaving even a splinter behind." He gestured to the spotless porch they were standing on.

Danny frowned in response and went ahead inside. Kim followed, then Ron and Sam; Vlad brought up the rear. The house was shrouded in darkness until someone flicked on a flashlight. Danny turned to see it was Kim.

She swept the beam all over the front hall before resting it on a piece of paper on the otherwise clutter-free marble floor. Danny picked it up and smirked. Kim came up behind him and shone the flashlight on it.

"… then pull the gold football," she read aloud.

"Directions?" she guessed. Danny nodded.

"For what?"

"To get into the lab," Danny explained, "it's hidden underground."

"Even hidden from ghosts?"

Danny considered this for a moment. "No," he decided, "ghosts could just phase through the floor."

"So the directions are for humans," Kim reasoned.

"But it's most likely a ghost that wrote them," Danny finished for her.

"So now what?" Ron asked.

"Whatever we're looking for has got to be in the lab," Kim said matter-of-factly before turning to Danny.

"Right," he replied with a nod, "and the regular entrance would probably be a bad idea." He paused for a deep breath before continuing, "so we're going to have to take the ghosts' entrance."

"You mean phase through the fl-?" Ron began to ask but stopped when he realized everyone was nodding at him.

"But how are we-?" he continued, still confused until he saw Danny's smile. "Oh, right," he said with a nervous laugh, "uh how does that work exactly?"

"Just hold on tight and don't look down," Sam answered with a sly smile.

Danny chose that moment to change into his ghost form. He wanted to be somewhat discreet about it, but of course the blue light grabbed everyone's attention and he looked up when he was done to see that all eyes were on him.

"Ready?" he asked, pretending Ron and Kim's astonished looks didn't faze him.

He grabbed Sam's hand and offered his other gloved hand to Kim. Wiping the look of amazement off her face, Kim accepted his hand. Ron and Vlad completed the circle and Danny closed his eyes.

He didn't open them until he had managed to phase everyone through the floor and they were hovering in the lab. Then he looked down to see none other than Skulker and Technus, each polishing a weapon, as they casually sat behind what appeared to be a checkout counter.

"Drakken and Shego, Kim," Ron whispered, though he was definitely _not_ quiet enough. Danny mentally kicked himself; he hadn't told them that though they couldn't be seen, they could still be heard.

In response to Ron's whisper the Drakken and Shego characters, who appeared to be browsing the weapons on the shelves, looked up where Ron and the rest of the gang was floating. Danny recognized one as the blue man from the photo and the other was a woman with long black hair whose skin seemed to have a slightly green tint to it.

Danny could tell that the two strangely colored people were not going to stay quiet about their suspicion and he did not want Skulker and Technus knowing they were there, so he pulled the team down until they were safely on the ground.

"Sorry, that was my fault," Danny whispered as they all landed softly on the lab floor behind one of the giant computers, "I should have told you they could still hear us." He let go of the hands he was holding and peered around the device to see the blue man and green woman looking around the lab puzzled and on-guard, but quiet. So Skulker and Technus still weren't alerted yet. Danny smiled and turned to Kim.

"Foes of yours?" he asked her with a gleam of mischief in his eyes.

Kim nodded, confused by the look he was giving her until he grabbed her hand.

"Come on," he said as the two of them became invisible and intangible again, "let's have a little fun with 'em."

Danny pulled Kim over to the wall closest to Drakken and Shego.

"You're on," Kim felt him whisper in her ear before she became completely visible.

"Hey, wha-?" she started to protest until her eyes met Shego's.

"There she is," Shego purred. "Hey Kimmy, why were you hiding? Our new friends scare you?" She jerked a thumb in Skulker and Technus' directions. The two ghosts exchanged looks, but didn't stop what they were doing as Kim didn't appear to be much of a threat to them.

"Not at all," Kim replied. Instantly on her game, she relaxed into a fighting stance. Was Danny still near her? She couldn't tell. What was he planning on doing anyway?

"Ha, yah right," Shego laughed before she charged, extending her leg and aiming it right for Kim's stomach.

Before Kim could react she felt a hand on her shoulder and the now familiar tingly feeling throughout her body. She brought her hands up to her face to see that they were no longer visible. Smiling, she looked up just in time to see Shego's look of shock before she went through Kim and hit the wall with a harsh thud.

Danny muffled a laugh and pulled Kim to follow him to the other side of the room where he let her become visible again. Shego was attempting to stand up and not succeeding.

Kim crossed her arms and gave the dazed Shego a patronizing glare. "What's wrong Shego? Can't hit what you can't see?"

Shego only huffed in response. Skulker, who, along with Technus, had been watching Kim's little production without interfering, snorted. "I can," he bragged. All eyes turned to the giant robot ghost as he morphed his arms into two huge guns and fired them at Kim.

The blasts hit the wall on either side of her. "He missed me?" Kim thought confusedly. Then it hit her. "Danny?!" she gasped, sure that he had been hit. The metal ghost looked really pleased with himself.

"Ha," Drakken spoke up, mistaking the worry on Kim's face for fear, "what do you think of our friends now, Kim Possible?!"

Kim opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Her thoughts were racing. Suddenly they were silenced by breath tickling her ear for the second time that night. "I'm fine, keep going," Danny assured her. He even sounded cheerful.

Her confidence restored, Kim glanced at the two ghosts before giving Drakken one of her best cocky teenager looks that irked him to no end. "They're okay," she replied breezily, "but I think _my_ friends are way cooler."

Shego, having fully recovered from her crash into the wall, returned to her place at Drakken's side. "I told you ghosts weren't gonna scare her and now she's obviously got one on _her_ side too," she complained.

"Maybe so," Drakken sneered, "but her ghost can't possibly be as good as ours!" "I mean look at them," he turned and extended his hand out to Skulker and Technus in a showy fashion, "they're evil; they're powerful; they're-"

"They're morons," Danny interrupted as he materialized beside the check-out counter examining one of the ecto-guns Skulker had apparently just finished cleaning. "They're ghosts selling anti-ghost weapons," he continued, turning to glare at his ghostly enemies, "and you're so busted!"

"I knew you missed him," Technus muttered to Skulker.

Skulker growled in response. "What are you doing here, whelp?" he said with venom in his tone.

Danny smirked, "I'm sorry, am I raining on your parade?"

Skulker just glared.

"Cuz I'd say I'm doing you idiots a favor," Danny continued, casually leaning against the counter while still playing with the ecto-gun.

"Idiots?!" Technus suddenly exploded, "Would idiots have come up with the elaborate scheme of selling ghost weapons infected with mind-control chips to human evil-doers so that when the time is right we can activate the chips and have an evil army at our disposal?!"

"Well, maybe not," Danny said thoughtfully, "but if they did, they would also make the mistake of telling me all about it . . . like you just did."

"I, uh . . . oops," Technus replied, turning to give Skulker a guilty smile.

"Nice new partner choice, Skulker," Danny taunted as he walked around the counter so that he was directly across from the two ghosts. "Mine's way cooler," he added, smiling over at Kim.

Kim gave him a weak smile in return. She suddenly did not have such a good feeling about this. Well, actually she had never had a good feeling about this. But now that bad feeling was even stronger. Danny was really making these ghosts look like fools and she sensed that they weren't going to tolerate it much longer.

Skulker in particular did not look happy, Kim noticed. Straightening to his full height, he approached the counter so that he was towering over Danny.

Danny merely crossed his arms and peered up at the hunter ghost with a serious look on his face. Kim stayed glued in place, unsure of what to do.

"I don't think you fully understand your situation, _Child_," Skulker stated threateningly, "you walked in to _our_ lair, meaning _we_ are in control!"

To demonstrate, Technus put his hands on the computer nearest him. Electricity pulsed through the machine, bringing it to life, and then went on to the next machine and the next, until the entire lab was buzzing with energy, including the piece of technology Vlad, Sam, and Ron were still hiding behind.

"Activate defense mode," Skulker commanded. Instantly ecto-guns and other harmful-looking devices sprouted from the technology around the room. They pointed at every person in the room except Skulker and Technus.

"Defense mode activated," a computer voice responded. Danny cocked an eyebrow. Why did that voice sound so familiar?

Kim jumped at the giant gun that was suddenly in her face. She peered around to look at Danny. His eyes were wide and he had straightened into a fighting stance. Apparently he hadn't seen that coming either.

"Hey!" Drakken shouted with an annoyed glare at the laser pointed directly at his chest.

Skulker nudged Technus on the arm. "Fix that," he instructed with a nod at Drakken.

"You have to tell it who's a foe and who's a friend," Technus explained. He turned to the computer nearest him and pressed some buttons until the guns trained on Drakken and Shego switched directions. They locked onto a place in the room that Skulker noticed had the attention of some of the other weapons too, despite there being no one there.

"What the-?" Skulker began and then it dawned on him, "Oh of course, you brought the girlfriend and the techno-geek." He sneered at Danny before yelling across the room, "Show yourselves now!"

Sam, Vlad, and Ron came out from their hiding place. Sam and Vlad were glaring at the ghosts with disgust. Ron looked terrified.

"Who's the shaking pale kid?" Skulker wanted to know.

Kim was about to speak up when she saw Danny's lips curl into a smile. He had a plan; she could tell. She wasn't the type to normally let someone else be in charge when it came to situations like this, but now that she knew Danny wasn't a brat, she wanted to see what he was capable of.

"Oh him?" Danny said still smiling. "He's just uh," he looked down at the gun he was still holding, "our secret weapon!" He flung the gun in Ron's direction and to everyone's surprise Ron caught it.

With all the attention on Ron, Danny made his move. Using ecto-blasts, he took out every gun near him before punching Technus in the face so that he stumbled away from the computer.

Kim followed Danny's lead and kicked away the weapons trained on her. Once she was in the clear she took off towards Shego who was already making her way to Kim as well. The two met in the center of the room and began exchanging blows.

Following Sam's instructions, Ron aimed his weapon at Skulker while Sam and Vlad approached Drakken.

Skulker was about to pull Danny off Technus when the blast from Ron's gun blew right by his head. He growled and sent a death glare in Ron's direction. Ron seemed to start hyperventilating in response.

"Computer," Skulker roared over the mayhem in the lab, "target Danny Phantom!" At that moment, Technus managed to throw Danny across the counter with an electric shock that made him cry out. The entire room froze as every weapon in the room locked on Danny who was flat on his back on the floor. Even Shego and Kim stopped fighting and stared at him.

"Now here's what's going to happen," Skulker began with a smirk.

"Can't you do something?" Sam hissed at Vlad while they stood next to Drakken who was attempting to show them that he was in charge now by pointing one of the weapons from the shelf at them. "This is _your_ lab!" Sam practically yelled.

"Wait, you're Vlad Masters?!" Drakken asked with awe.

Suddenly Skulker cleared his throat. Vlad, Sam, and Drakken looked up to see that all eyes were on them now.

"Oh sorry, please continue," Vlad said snidely.

Skulker smiled. "Behold the great Vlad Masters," he said, answering Drakken's question, "you see that cuff on his arm?"

Drakken looked and then nodded.

"That is why," Skulker stated slowly, locking eyes with Vlad, "we can stand here selling his creations out of his own lab and he can't do _anything_ about it."

The room was absolutely silent as the ghost and half ghost continued to stare at each other.

"You know," Danny started, breaking the silence from where he was sitting on the floor, "I'm the one who programmed the cu-"

"Whoa," Vlad interrupted. "Sam's right, it's my lab," he mumbled mostly to himself, "and I need to remind it!"

"Thanks for the offer, Danny, but that really won't be necessary," Vlad said louder, "oh and please forgive me for this later."

"Wha-?" Danny began but was cut off by Vlad's triumphant shout.

"Maddie! I'm home!"

"Welcome home, dearest," the computer voice responded cheerfully. It then dawned on Danny as to why the voice sounded so familiar; it was his mom's.

"I love what you've done with your hair!" Maddie's computer voice continued.

"Not now, darling," Vlad said with a slight cringe. He then cleared his throat and continued in a commanding voice, "Maddie, override all voice commands that are not given by me."

"Already done, cupcake." Vlad smiled at the shocked look on Skulker's face and went on, "Re-activate defense mode please, but switch earlier marked friends to foes and foes to friends."

"Defense mode activated and switched, lamb chop," computer Maddie replied as the weapons turned to the surprised Skulker, Technus, Drakken, and Shego.

"Good, thank you." Vlad then turned to Danny. "Your turn," he said.

"Okay," Danny replied, sounding a little dazed as Sam came over to help him up, "just give me a second to fight back the urge to punch you." It was meant as a joke, but the little twinge of anger that Danny had felt when he heard his mom's voice was hard to control.

"You could try concentrating on the fact that what I just did saved your hide," Vlad reminded him.

"Literally," Skulker added bitterly.

"Right, thanks," Danny nodded at Vlad before getting out the thermos.

"Did you guys keep a record of who you sold the weapons to?" Sam asked the now hostage ghosts.

"Right here," Technus seemed to brag as he held up a notebook. Skulker glared at him. "I mean, no," he tried to cover his mistake.

Danny held his hand out and Technus reluctantly handed over the notebook.

"I highly suggest you apologize to Ember for whatever stupid thing you did this time," Danny advised Skulker as he passed the notebook to Sam.

"How did you know she was mad at me?" Skulker asked, trying to hide his surprise.

"Why else would you team up with Ghost Zone's biggest blabber mouth?" Danny replied.

"True," Skulker muttered, "but this isn't over! I will have your pelt eventu-"

He was silenced by Danny sucking him and Technus into the thermos.

"That speech really gets old," Danny commented to Sam as he hooked the thermos back onto his belt. Sam nodded and they turned to face Kim and Ron who were talking to their enemies.

"So what do we do with these two?" Danny asked Kim as he and Sam approached the rest of the group.

"The cops will be here shortly," Kim explained.

"Cool." Danny reverted back to his human form since everything seemed to be taken care of.

"You know, technically _we_ didn't do anything wrong," Shego pointed out.

"You mean aside from trespassing on government property, attempting to steal dangerous weapons, and threatening the lives of everyone here in the process?" Sam questioned with arms crossed and eyes glaring.

"Who's the smart-aleck?" Shego asked, returning the glare.

"Funny, I was going to ask the same thing," Sam shot back.

"She's my girlfriend," Danny informed Shego, letting his eyes glow threateningly as he put an arm around Sam.

"Whoa, down boy," Shego replied with a nervous laugh.

Vlad suddenly let out a frustrated sigh. "Will you please stop staring at me like that?!" he complained to Drakken who was giving him a strange mesmerized stare.

Shego turned her attention to who her boss was gawking at.

"So you're Vlad Masters," she said, giving him a once-over. "You always dress up to go fight crime with Short Stuff over there?" she asked with a nod in Danny's direction.

Vlad looked down at his party attire, having forgotten all about it.

"We were at a party," Danny explained, brushing off the insult. Then he realized what he had said, "Oh crud, the party!"

Sam sighed, "Ugh, do we really have to go back there?"

"I'm afraid so," Danny said, also sighing, "this is all taken care of; we don't have any excuse not to go back."

While Danny was talking Sam had realized she was still holding the notebook Technus had given them. She smiled widely as she opened it up and flipped through the pages.

"No excuse except almost a hundred evil dudes with ghost weapons to be repossessed," she exclaimed triumphantly, dangling the notebook in Danny's face.

He took it and examined some of the pages before smiling at Sam. Then he looked up at Kim, "You in?" he asked hopefully.

Kim and Ron shared a knowing look. "Danny," Kim said, sounding really serious, "I have to be honest with you. When I first made up my mind to go ask for your help with the whole ghost weapon thing, I'll admit I wasn't looking forward to it. I'd seen you on TV and you _seemed_ nice and all, but still I believed that you would have let the fame go to your head. So I just wanted you to know that I'm really glad you proved me wrong!" Kim ended her speech with a genuine smile that had Danny blushing.

"Thanks Kim, you're really awesome too" he said, smiling back, "and should I take that as a 'yes'?"

"Definitely," Kim responded enthusiastically.

"What about Vlad?" Ron asked. They all turned to the ex-villain. He seemed to hesitate as everyone waited for his response.

"Alright," Vlad finally agreed, "just don't expect another miraculous save from me! From now on, it's up to you four!"

They all laughed and Vlad smiled to himself. He'd been so close to making it through a night without his past ramming its ugly head into his new life, but then again, this time it had been for the better.

**I don't plan on continuing this. Next chapter will definitely be something new. At the moment I'm leaning towards that flirting I mentioned in the title, but we'll see.**


	4. 4 Coffee

**Welcome to the flirting chapter. Here's the deal: this features my own character (Julia) and Vlad. Though it's not told in first person, it's from Vlad's point of view. I tried to show a lot of his thought processes during this whole ordeal so anything that's phrased as a thought is his, never Julia's. Anyways, enjoy. . .**

Vlad took a careful sip of his coffee and turned to the third page of the day's newspaper. It had somehow become part of his daily routine to start the morning with coffee and the paper at the small coffee house down the street from Amity Park's Psychological Institute.

He knew he had to stop relying on the Fentons for everything and so getting coffee by himself and drinking it in the back corner of Sippers' Coffee was his first solo attempt at acting like a normal human being again. Not that he ever drank coffee out before, but that was kind of the point.

The place was unusually busy this morning. Vlad had gotten used to timing his visit so that by the time he got there the morning rush had cleared out, but today was different. There seemed to be tons of business-suit-clad people crowding the register and shouting out orders, running the poor cashiers ragged.

The mayhem bothered Vlad a bit, even from the safety of his easily ignored, out-of-the-way table. He glanced at his watch. He wasn't supposed to be at Fenton Works for another hour, but if his normally peaceful hideout continued to betray him, he would have to leave. Danny hopefully wouldn't mind him arriving early.

Vlad was seriously considering leaving, when out of the chaos surrounding the counter, a single pair of eyes met his. Reflexively, he looked away. The look of recognition, followed almost immediately by the all too familiar look of curiosity mixed with fear, never got any easier to withstand. He might as well avoid it altogether this time around.

He set his eyes to busily scanning the next article, but suddenly he was aware of someone standing in front of his table. Staring at him. Waiting for him to look up. Waiting for that moment when he would acknowledge their presence. The stranger expected it. Vlad was dreading it. But what else could he do?

Slowly, the paper came down and Vlad found himself looking up at a woman with straight dark brown hair and intense green eyes. She was dressed nicely, though there was something about her that made her seem out of place amongst the desk-job-bound men and women still hurrying about behind her.

"Hey," she said, sounding hesitant, "do you mind if I sit here?"

"Just while I wait for my order," she added in a rush when Vlad didn't respond.

Vlad gaped until he became aware of the awkward seconds ticking by while the woman waited for his answer.

"Of course," he finally replied. "I mean, not at all, I don't mind," he hastily corrected himself.

The girl didn't seem to notice his moment of shock or his clumsy reply. "Thanks," she simply said in return as she sat down with a quick glance over her shoulder.

"I'm Julia by the way." She flashed him a quick, but blinding smile, before once again sneaking a peek over her shoulder.

Vlad didn't bother responding with his own name or acknowledging that he heard hers; instead he zeroed-in on the guy his new acquaintance kept trying to furtively glimpse at.

He was in a suit and held a briefcase, but what set him apart from the rest of the drones in line for their morning fix was the price of his suit and briefcase. As an ex-member of the oh-so-exclusive upper class, Vlad easily recognized the high-end clothing and designer case. The guy was loaded and therefore was obviously not used to waiting for things as Vlad saw demonstrated when the man suddenly sent an annoyed glare around the room.

Julia whipped back around to face Vlad. And that's when it finally started making sense to Vlad. It wasn't that she didn't know who he was. It wasn't that she was crazy enough to know who he was and still want to talk to him. He was simply her prop, her fake acquaintance, basically, her excuse for not talking to her ex.

"Don't worry, I don't think he saw us," Vlad told her dryly. He couldn't help but feel a bit annoyed.

Here he was having his first encounter with a stranger (well his first without Danny or his shrink around) since the trial and the stranger wasn't even interested in him. She wasn't interested in scolding him, interviewing him, or any of the horrible things Vlad had imagined would happen when this event finally occurred. She just wanted to continue ignoring him so that she could pretend to ignore Mr. Armani-Suit.

Vlad had made up his mind that he was actually okay with this (since being ignored was what he liked and was used to when it came to the coffee place), when Julia spoke again.

"Sorry," she said. Much to Vlad's surprise, she actually sounded genuine. "Old boyfriend," she then admitted, her honesty astounding Vlad even more.

He stared at her over the paper. She was facing him now and had a guilty smile playing across her face. It was . . . cute. Whoa, time to put a stop to this! Alarms seemed to be going off in Vlad's head.

"You know," he began flatly, "if you were trying not to draw attention to yourself, you probably should have chosen someone else's table to spy from."

"Why? What's wrong with yours?" Julia asked, her voice ringing with a slightly flirtatious quality.

Vlad carefully examined the woman in front of him. "You really don't know who I am, do you?" he asked in disbelief.

Julia scrunched up her face. "What," she started with a hint of fake annoyance, "You're trying to tell me you're some kind of celebrity?"

Vlad smiled at that. What does the world call someone in his position? Certainly not a celebrity. He was about to inform Julia of this when she continued.

"Cuz the only person getting any media attention these days is Danny Phan . . ." she trailed off as she slowly recognized the man in front of her.

The stunned look on Julia's face suddenly became too much for Vlad to bear. He looked away, not knowing what to say or do. As much as he wanted to just leave, he also wanted to stay. There was something about her. She interested him. And her reaction . . . well, he _cared_ about it. He actually cared whether she accepted him or not. This total stranger . . .

This realization brought on a different emotion. Anger. He had to leave. Now. He had been having a great morning until this girl had shown up completely uninvited with her charming smiles and those eyes that just grabbed you . . . Vlad gave himself a good mental shake. How dare she interrupt his morning and how dare she make him care! He was leaving.

"Julia," the cashier called in an emotionless voice. Perfect. This was his chance.

Vlad folded the paper, grabbed his empty coffee cup, and got up. He involuntarily glanced at her. She was staring down at the table, showing no sign that she had heard her name called.

"Your order's up," he said almost as emotionlessly as the harried cashier. And then he swept past her and was out the door, surrounded by the crisp morning air and fragile sunlight.

He started towards the bus stop on the corner, only pausing to throw away the empty cup in a nearby trashcan.

"Wait!"

The voice stopped him dead in his tracks. It was _hers_. He swiveled around to see her attempting to exit the coffee place while juggling her purse _and _a drink tray holding four coffees.

Vlad couldn't control the amused smile that slid across his face. How someone could be so clumsy and graceful at the same time was beyond him.

She had made it out the door and was now making her way towards him determinedly. Without even thinking about it Vlad walked back towards her too so that she didn't have to go very far.

"I'm sorry," she said as soon as they reached each other, "I shouldn't have- and then-" She was having trouble getting the words out so Vlad decided to stop her before her cheeks reddened even more. If that was even possible.

"I held the entire world hostage and _you're_ apologizing to _me_?" He was giving her a hard time and he instantly scolded himself. The gracious thing to do would be to accept the apology, though insist it's not necessary, and move on. What was he doing badgering her? He had no right. She didn't deserve it.

She laughed. A sweet, sincere laugh that made Vlad want to make her laugh more. He had underestimated her ability to withstand his teasing.

"Yes, well, it's not just the not-knowing-who-you-are that I'm apologizing for," she admitted, still smiling.

"Oh really?" Vlad prompted, returning the smile, but something caught his eye behind her.

"Did you drive here?" he asked, his tone turning serious.

"Yes, but why-?" Julia started to question when Vlad suddenly, though carefully, took the tray of coffee from her hands.

"I suggest you get your keys for a quick get-away," he instructed, "your well-off ex is heading this way."

"Oh, right, um," she stammered. Then she looked up at Vlad with a searching gaze. She came up to about his shoulder. Funny, she had seemed taller in the coffee place. They stayed frozen like that until the ex approached, breaking the moment.

Still looking a bit annoyed, the rich man forced a good-morning-stranger smile on his face. He offered nothing but that and a nod in the couple's direction as he passed by.

Vlad stared at the back of the Armani Suit, bewildered. He was usually good at reading people, but Julia's ex had acted like she was a complete stranger. How could that be?

He turned to look at Julia to get her reaction. She was looking down at her feet and the blush had returned to her cheeks.

Vlad was about to make a joke, but without the intensity of Julia's green eyes on him his head was clearing again. However he still couldn't make any sense out of what had just happened.

"I don't get it," he said, deciding to give up.

Julia's head came up and she struggled to meet Vlad's eyes.

"It's the other thing I have to apologize for," she said, sounding shy and embarrassed.

"You lied about hiding from an ex? Why? I still would have let you sit at my table."

"I know . . . but it gave me an excuse."

"Excuse to do what?"

"An excuse to talk to you," Julia answered softly.

Vlad just gaped at her, still not understanding. His response seemed to upset Julia and she began to explain in an I'm-babbling-because-I'm-super-embarrassed kind of way.

"It's just that you were sitting there," she prattled, "completely absorbed in your paper, and . . . and I wanted to get you to talk to me. It would have been lame if I had started up a conversation, you know like about the weather or something, cuz then I just would have been the annoying girl keeping you from reading the paper and disturbing your peace so . . . well I got you to talk to me and things would have been great except that," she let out a nervous laugh, "except I didn't know who I was flirting, or at least attempting to flirt, with so that came as kind of a shock and so now I've insulted you and I'm really really sorry and I don't know how to make it up to you."

A million things were running through Vlad's head. He didn't know what to do. It was so simple and yet . . . it was so confusing. She hadn't known who he was and had wanted to talk to him, but she didn't when she had the chance. Now she knew who he was and she ran after him just to talk to him. But it was just an apology, something one did to be polite, nothing more.

Vlad made up his mind. It was time to play Mr. Gracious and move on.

"Thanks for the apology," he said pleasantly, though he didn't feel very pleasant. He felt played with.

He handed her back the coffee tray. She accepted it without looking at him.

"You don't need to make anything up to me," Vlad continued.

She stayed silent.

"Well, have a nice day," Vlad finished and turned on his heel to continue on his way to the bus stop.

"Have a nice day?!" Again her voice stopped him as if she commanded him to. Suddenly she was there in front of him again.

"That's it?" she asked in an accusatory tone, her green eyes paralyzing him.

"I'm sorry, did you want something more evil-half-ghost sounding?" Vlad snapped. How had he wound up teasing her again?

"No, but I didn't want a nice day either!" she countered.

Vlad was about to throw something smart right back at her, but he just couldn't do it. He sighed heavily.

"Then what," he asked quietly, "do you want from me?"

Julia's eyes turned soft, lessening their arresting quality.

"Coffee," she almost whispered.

"But don't you-" Vlad began to ask, but Julia wasn't finished.

"Together."

Vlad couldn't hide his surprise.

"Here."

"You mean-" Vlad tried to clarify what she was saying, but she kept going.

"Tomorrow. Same time."

"But," Vlad started to protest.

"Please," she begged, turning the full effect of her eyes onto him once again.

"Okay . . ." Vlad answered, feeling powerless.

Julia smiled and began walking away.

"But can I ask why?" Vlad called after her.

She turned around. "You got a second chance, so can't I get one?" She asked with a shrug.

Vlad smiled and gave her a slight nod.

They both turned around.

Vlad was still smiling when he got to the corner just in time to board the bus heading towards Fenton Works. To see Danny. And his family. And his friends. The smile disappeared. How was he going to explain this to any of them?!

**So what do you think? Would you like to see more of Julia? Lemme know . . . but just so you know, I'm on vacation until the 14****th**** so no updates until after that! Sorry. :(**

**Oh I also need to apologize for not responding to reviewers from the last update, especially Luiz4200 who asked:** **Do you intend to add more shows?**

**If you meant am I planning any more crossovers then here is my answer: I do have a few in mind. They're a little obscure though. Any Monk and/or Psych fans? What about Twilight? I know there's Twilighters out there . . . only 30 more days!!**


	5. 5 Freak

**Hey, sorry I pretty much disappeared for the whole month of July. I was busy and it's been kinda hard to write. I don't know why. So this is probably different from what you were hoping for, but it's just what I had to do. It picks up almost right where my last one-shot (if you can call it that) left off.**

The bus ride to Fenton Works had provided Vlad with plenty of time to devise a strategy for how to explain his morning experience to Danny. Yet as he stood now in front of the door, his hand poised to knock, he realized he still didn't have one.

He knocked on the door anyways, figuring it was best to just let the conversation flow naturally. Danny would ask how his morning was. "Interesting," he'd answer. This would pique Danny's curiosity, as it would not be the standard answer he was expecting. So then Danny would inquire as to why the morning was so "interesting" and the rest would be simple explanation.

An image of Julia smiling filled Vlad's head as he thought back on his morning and he found himself smiling. But then his smile faded as reality crept back. How could he explain _that_ when he didn't even understand it himself? Simple? Yah right.

The image disappeared as quickly as it had come when the door suddenly opened and Vlad found himself face to face with Maddie. A rather annoyed-looking Maddie, he noted.

Her expression changed when she realized it was Vlad. He couldn't be certain, but Vlad was pretty sure she looked relieved. Before he could ask her if something was wrong, she abruptly pushed him back and stepped out onto the front stoop with him. The door swung shut behind her.

She then grabbed his wrist and began pushing buttons on the cuff that still resided there and still prevented him from using his ghost half.

"Danny's not home," Maddie started explaining in a low voice, "I don't know when he'll be back. There's someone here to see him. He claims his intentions are good, but I'm not convinced." She finished whatever she had been doing to his cuff and looked up to meet Vlad's eyes.

"Would you come in and check it out?" she asked him, eyes pleading, though the rest of her body language told Vlad she was still tense. Whoever was in the house had her _really_ irritated.

"Of course," Vlad answered, "but what did you-?" He held up his still-cuffed wrist, unsure of how to ask what he wanted to ask.

"I'm letting you use some ghost energy," Maddie replied in a tone that was all business, "You won't be able to change, but you can use some basic powers."

Vlad felt even more confused than he had been before. He opened his mouth, but no words came out.

"I especially need a ghost sense; all the sensors in the house are still down from that experiment Jack and Danny tried last week," Maddie continued with a roll of her eyes.

"But how-?" Vlad began. Maddie cut him off.

"The cuff regulates your ghost energy output," she tried to explain again.

"No, I meant . . ." Vlad paused and gave her a hard, examining look, "you designed it didn't you?"

Maddie smiled. "Danny helped." She turned and opened the door, ending the conversation.

"Jack honey, look who's here," Maddie said as she went inside. Vlad followed her, interested in who the visitor was that had her wound so tight.

"Vlad! Boy, are we glad to see you!" Jack exclaimed, jumping up from his chair in the living room. Maddie gave him a sharp look, fearing he had tipped off their guest that they didn't trust him. "I, uh I mean, it's nice to see you is all," Jack added, trying to rescind his previous greeting.

Vlad smiled. "It's nice to see you too," he responded genuinely. He craned his neck to see the guest seated on the couch, across from Jack, with his back to the doorway. It wasn't hard to figure out who the mystery man was. The bald albino head, along with the black top hat, gave it all away.

"Oh my! Vlad Masters? Really?" The guest enthusiastically turned his head in greeting.

It was that annoying circus character, Freakshow. Even if Vlad hadn't hacked into Danny's villain files (back when he did that sort of thing), the freak had been on the news when Danny helped arrest him. Vlad had always wondered what the _real _story was behind that. The files hadn't told him much and the only phrase that he could remember from them at the moment was "ghost envy." This was going to be interesting.

Freakshow got up from his seat on the couch as Vlad entered the living room. "Well isn't this a marvelous surprise! The very man who inspired me to come here today!" he gushed, holding out his hand.

Vlad hesitated, feeling assaulted. The way the freak had said the word "marvelous" made him want to gag. Of course he didn't though. Instead he plastered on a fake grin and shook the gloved hand extended towards him.

"Freakshow right?" Vlad asked and got a surprised nod in return. "Yes I do know who you are," Vlad continued, "I am however confused as to how I inspired you?"

"Yes of course," Freakshow replied as everyone sat down, "well, as I was just explaining to the Fentons here, Danny and I have had our fair share of . . . misunderstandings in the past, but, just like you, I would like to apologize for my actions and set things right between us as I move on and start a new chapter in my life."

There was silence as Vlad studied the man in front of him. Tapping foot, fingers drumming on the couch arm, crooked smile, and eyes hidden behind colored lenses. No, this certainly did not add up to an honest man. Maddie was right; he was up to something.

"I'm sorry," Vlad finally spoke up, "but I'm confused again. Weren't you arrested?"

That wiped the smile off his face. "Yes, you're right, I was," Freakshow began, his sing-song voice grating Vlad's nerves, "but you see, the government handed me over to the Guys in White who, as we all know, are now no more, thanks to a little investigation into their so called 'operations.' Anyways, it was then decided that the . . . mistreatment I suffered there was enough to pay my debt to society."

He stopped here for a brief moment to allow what he had said to sink in. Then he added what he knew was the cherry on top to Vlad's sundae. "I'm getting a _second chance_," he said with a gleam in his eye, "I don't want to waste it."

The crooked smile was back now. As if it had never left. Vlad didn't really understand why, but that smile made him angry. It seemed to be taunting him personally and everything he's working towards. It triggered something inside him, something he hadn't felt in a long time. He could feel the energy Maddie had let loose in him. It wasn't a lot. But it was enough. Enough to permanently erase that smile from this liar's face.

"Oh no, was that my oven timer for the cookies?!" Maddie's voice penetrated the trance Vlad had worked himself into. "Vlad, will you please come give me a hand with them?" Without waiting for an answer, Maddie hustled him into the kitchen.

"What was that about?! You're going to give yourself away!" she immediately scolded him.

"What? My question? I was just-" Vlad was cut off by Maddie for the second time that day.

"No silly, not anything you said!" she practically shouted.

"Then what-?"

"Your eyes!" Maddie hissed. "Are you telling me you _didn't _know that they started glowing?!"

"They did what?!" Now Vlad was almost yelling.

"You heard me," Maddie said, lowering her voice. "Oh I knew this was a bad idea," she continued as she made her way over to the counter. She pulled forward a cookie jar and got a plate down from a cabinet. She then began to arrange cookies from the jar onto the plate in silence.

Vlad felt bad. He didn't want Maddie to think she had done something wrong. Her trust in him had been so . . . _nice_. It had made him feel good about himself and what he was doing. But then he'd been introduced to the freak and . . . and he had slipped up! How could he have slipped up? He hadn't slipped up in years!

He had always felt so in-control of his emotions as well as the responses they brought about from his ghost half. That's why he used to tease Danny so much about his temper. But now that he thought back on it, maybe he hadn't been controlling his emotions so much as he had been repressing them.

Without him willing it, the image of Julia came into his mind. She had wanted to talk to him. Conversation. It was something full of emotion, right? He had pulled that off. At least he thought he had. Why else would she have wanted to see him again?

Vlad took a deep breath. He could do this. No more repressing, but no more I'm-so-mad-my-eyes-are-glowing free-flow either.

"No, you made the right decision," Vlad assured Maddie, coming to stand by her at the counter, "I'm sorry about that. It won't happen again."

Maddie looked up from the cookies. "I'm sorry too," she said, "this is a lot for me to dump on you first thing in the morning."

Vlad chuckled at that. She had _no_ idea.

"So what do you think?" she asked, nodding towards the living room.

"Oh there's not a doubt in my mind that he's lying," Vlad replied, "I just can't figure out why."

"Could you sense any ghosts?"

"Nope, no ghosts. It's just him." Vlad paused to think about it. "What could he possibly gain from simply bothering the heck out of us?"

Maddie let out a laugh. "I don't know what he's after, but he's getting cookies."

The two reentered the living room, expecting to find everything how they had left it. Needless to say, it wasn't.

The first thing Vlad noticed was that Jack seemed to have a glowing green bat plastered over his mouth. He then turned his attention to Freakshow who was standing in front of the couch, whispering to a ghost in a red cloak. Lydia, if Vlad remembered correctly.

"Oh darn, they're onto us," Freakshow stated in a bored voice.

"I've had enough of this!" Maddie yelled at him, slamming down the plate of cookies on a nearby table. "What do you want from us?!"

"Time to go," Freakshow told Lydia. In response, she wrapped her arm around his waste and turned her face upwards, preparing to fly away.

"Oh no you don't," Vlad growled as he flew (not literally) past Maddie and grabbed the tail of Freakshow's coat, pulling him and Lydia back down to the ground.

The villains landed on the floor with a thud. Lydia had lost her grip on Freakshow and Vlad now stood between them, ready to block any attempt on Lydia's part to reach her master.

Vlad turned back to see that Maddie had her ecto-gun out and was aiming it at Lydia. He then picked up Freakshow by the front of his coat and held him there so that they were face to face.

They stayed like that for a few seconds, glaring daggers at eachother. With Maddie covering Lydia, Vlad figured he could take his time with the freak and something was bothering him. Was it his fault that they were in this situation now? Had Freakshow noticed his eyes and decided to call in back-up?

"Oh look who's gotten unfriendly all of a sudden," Freakshow suddenly laughed in Vlad's face, "like no one saw _that_ coming!" He paused to laugh more and Vlad growled again. There was his answer. One little mistake is all it ever takes…

"Seriously now, put me down," Freakshow ordered, "it's obvious that you're much too out of practice to really do anything to me."

"Oh is that so?" Vlad asked calmly. He put the freak down, still holding an arm securely with one hand. Vlad then took his other hand and aimed his index finger at Jack. He let one little spark of pink energy bolt out of his finger towards his target. And he hit it.

The bat over Jack's mouth screeched in pain before dropping limply from Jack's face. It then attempted to inch its way back to Lydia without much hope.

Vlad turned his attention back to the freak. "Now I believe Maddie asked you a question," he said, turning Freakshow so that he faced Maddie.

With his arm now painfully pinned behind his back, Freakshow faced the angry mom. "Like that proves anything," he couldn't help but mutter. In response to the insult, Vlad simply twisted the arm he had in his iron grip.

Freakshow yelped. "Alright, you've made your point," he said, sounding annoyed.

"Answer her then," Vlad demanded, "What are you really here for?"

"Very well then," Freakshow said with a sigh. He then snuck a quick glance at Lydia who gave him a curt nod.

"I had decided to just take the matter up with your son, but you just couldn't . . . let me go," Freakshow explained, throwing a devilish smile in Vlad's direction.

"Get on with it," Vlad warned, tightening his grip again.

"So what am I here for?" Freakshow continued, ignoring Vlad and taking his time, "Well, how about an exchange?"

"Ha, what could you possibly have to offer?" Maddie asked, her ecto-gun still trained on Lydia.

"Oh not much," Freakshow said dramatically, with an evil glint in his eyes, "just your son!"

Right on cue, a swirling green cloud of tattoo ghosts appeared next to Vlad and Freakshow, blocking Maddie's shot at Lydia. When the ghosts settled, Tucker, Sam, and Danny were sitting on the floor bound by them.

Thinking fast, Maddie threw the gun over the heads of her son and his friends, to Jack, who caught it and was able to once again aim it at Lydia so she was still unable to do anything but watch.

Sam's head suddenly shot up and she groaned. "I told you it was a trap," she complained.

Tucker was the next to move. "You said it _might_ be a trap," he corrected.

Danny coughed and straightened up. "Plus by the time you said that it was already too late," he said hoarsely.

The teens took a second to examine their surroundings. "Look, they've already got it under control," Danny pointed out, nodding at Vlad and his parents. "No big deal, it's just Freakshow," he spat at the villain in Vlad's grasp.

"Mm yes, insult your captor, great idea," Freakshow replied dryly.

"I'm sorry, who has captured who here?" Danny shot back.

"Those bonds can only come off if Lydia tells them to come off," Freakshow informed Danny, "_even_ if she is blasted unconscious." For final emphasis, he sent a glare in Jack's direction. Jack shifted his weight, but did not lower his weapon.

"Fine, what are you after?" Danny asked, sounding bored.

"Hmm what am I after? What could you possibly have that I would wa-ow!"

"Tell us already," Vlad commanded, exasperated.

"This is between the boy and I now," Freakshow said, raising his voice. "Although, the rest of you will probably be interested in knowing the truth."

"The truth?" Danny echoed. "About what? They know I'm half ghost."

"Oh yes, I know and it was such a grand performance!" Freakshow yelled in a triumphant, yet mocking tone. "Very dramatic it was! An asteroid! How clever!" He paused from his ranting, but the room stayed silent. "And you got everything you ever wanted," he continued in a quieter voice, "your parents' acceptance, the girl, fame, fortune, oh and let's not forget… your archenemy as your pet." He sneered the last part at Vlad who remained expressionless.

"What in the world are you talking about?!" Danny shouted, enraged at the accusations Freakshow seemed to be making. "You think I planned it all?! How could I possibly-"

"The reality gauntlet," Sam stated softly.

Comprehension dawned on Danny's face, but was swiftly replaced by more anger. His eyes shone electric green and then he closed them. When he opened them again, they were ice blue.

The ghost tattoos holding on to Sam, Tucker, and Danny suddenly went rigid. And then the ice appeared, crystallizing the bonds. With a loud grunt, Danny then broke them, sending shards of ice flying everywhere.

Next he was in Freakshow's face. "You really are a piece of work," Danny glowered, "You think I used that stupid glove to change my life! You think I still have it so that if things don't go my way – zap – and everything's all better?! Well I've got news for you! I destroyed the reality gauntlet and its silly gems! I don't have them! They're gone! You can never have them. What do you have to say to that?"

Freakshow just gaped.

Danny snickered. "That's what I thought." He turned away from the stunned villain and unhooked the thermos from his belt. He tossed it to Sam who wasted no time in sucking up Lydia.

"I'll call the cops," Tucker said, already pulling out his cell. "I wonder which they consider the worse crime, robbery or kidnapping," he added with a chuckle.

Freakshow pouted. Several minutes later the police arrived and took him away with charges of assault, though Tucker tried to sell them on the kidnapping story. Vlad was helping put the living room back in order when Danny approached him, now out of ghost mode.

"So how was your morning?" Danny asked jokingly.

"Interesting," Vlad answered without a second thought, then smiled when he realized he had unintentionally followed his plan that wouldn't work now.

Danny laughed. "Yah, I guess I've got some explaining to do."

Vlad snickered. "Not nearly as much as I do." He didn't wait for a response before continuing with, "I met a girl."

Five heads all simultaneously turned in Vlad's direction. Within mere seconds, they had surrounded him.

"Oh, I um," Vlad stammered, "I didn't expect such a huge audience."

"Too bad, now spill," Danny instructed eagerly.

Vlad sat back into the nearest chair, slightly overwhelmed by the task before him. "I'm going to need more coffee," he thought to himself. And then he smiled. "Coffee…"

**I am posting this mere minutes after arriving home from getting my copy of ****Breaking Dawn**** at the midnight release party. That means don't expect my next post any time soon…**

**Oh and sorry if you wanted to hear more of that conversation at the end. I tried, I really did. But it didn't happen. Maybe it will appear later as a flashback type thing.**


	6. 6 Safe

**Wow. It took me FOREVER to write this. I got the idea for the end first and so I wrote that, but then I had to write the rest and it was so hard! Ugh. Ok, I'm done complaining. You're the ones that should be complaining. It's been so long since I updated. Hopefully, this was worth the wait.**

**We just need to get a few things straight first. There are things you need to know before reading this. The first is that this takes place a little over a month after the last one-shot ("Freak," well and "Coffee" too since those were technically the same day). Secondly, Vlad still has that limited access to his ghost half that Maddie gave him in "Freak." And lastly, it starts at the end and then does one of those flashback type deals. Hopefully, it flows and is not confusing. Ok? K. Enjoy…**

Vlad looked down at Julia's pale face, her head angled away from his, her normally vivid green eyes glassy. He could read the emotions behind her features like one would read a book. But he didn't want to. Never in all his life had he been so annoyed with what he used to consider such a useful skill. He tried to fight it, but the observations flooded his mind relentlessly.

Her expression showed confusion, shock, bewilderment. There was even a hint of anger. But the most prominent emotion (and most painful for Vlad to face) was fear. Fear of him.

He cringed inwardly. How had it come to this? How had what was supposed to be such a pleasant evening gone so horribly wrong?

* * *

The doorbell rang and Vlad's stomach just about jumped into his throat. "Calm down," he told himself, "it's just dinner." Dinner with quite possibly the most amazing woman on the planet whom he had also had the pleasure of having coffee with almost every weekday morning for a little over a month now. Yah, no big deal.

He took off for the bathroom, but Danny caught him on his way down the hall.

"Vlad, Relax," the young half-ghost soothed as he pulled Vlad towards the front door of Fenton Works. The point of this dinner was actually for Julia to meet the Fentons since they had become so . . . involved, you could say, in Vlad's life.

"Easy for you to say," Vlad muttered as they approached the door.

"Hey, my girlfriend's here too!" Danny pointed out.

"When is she not?" Vlad shot back.

"Good point," Danny agreed with a laugh.

"Is that her? Is she here?" Maddie called as she emerged from the kitchen with Jack in tow.

"Mom, what's with the apron?" Danny asked with a skeptical look at the cloth tied around his mother's waist. "Sam did all the cooking."

"I know, I just-"

"It's ok," Sam cut in, saving Maddie from explaining herself, "I'm letting her take the credit." She and Jazz giggled as they got up from where they were sitting on the couch in the living room.

"Jazz and I figured it was best to make you guys seem as normal as possible for Julia's first visit," Sam further explained as took her place at Danny's side and began fixing his tie. "We don't want to freak the poor girl out too much."

"Right, because having dinner with a bunch of ghost hunters, including two ghost-human hybrids, is enough for one night," Vlad interjected.

"Our thoughts exactly," Jazz replied, ignoring the sarcasm. "Now someone answer the door before she thinks we blew her off."

Vlad took a deep breath and with an encouraging nod from Danny, opened the door . . . and there she was. It wasn't so much her beauty that astounded him each time they met, as it was the smile that played across her face and her green eyes that pulled him into a whole different world.

In this world, it's only him and her. Nothing else matters. Not his past. Not the present which has his "scandalous" romance on every tabloid cover.

It was as if, with her eyes, she were telling him that none of that matters to her. Truly. Sure, she told him all the time in so many words that the attention didn't bother her, but there was always doubt in Vlad's mind. Then again, if any part of their relationship bothered her, why didn't she just end it?

"Hi." The small word broke through Vlad's thoughts with enough ferocity to scare off a lion.

"Hey," he returned and then froze. Luckily, Danny took over.

"Come on in," he invited her before shooting Vlad a gentle snap-out-of-it look. "I'm Danny."

Once inside, Julia accepted Danny's extended hand. "It's a real honor to meet you," she gushed. "But I was warned by Vlad not to tell you that," she quickly added with a teasing grin.

She and Danny shared a laugh and turned to Vlad. Her humor had managed to break his trance. He rolled his eyes playfully. "That is, I _tried _to warn her," he corrected.

"Sorry," Julia said to Danny after flashing a flirty smile at Vlad.

"No, don't sweat it," Danny replied with a wave of his hand. "I really don't mind when someone is being genuine, it's those marry-me-Danny Phangirls that get on my nerves."

"Mine too," Sam cut in, reminding Danny and Vlad of everyone else's presence.

"This is my girlfriend, Sam," Danny introduced.

He then continued to present his mom, dad, and sister. Once they had all exchanged pleasantries and shaken hands, Maddie led everyone to the table, which was set up at one end of the living room (A/N: cuz I have no clue where their dining room is… if they even have one).

"You look nervous," Julia mused, suddenly at Vlad's side as they walked behind the rest of the group.

"Well, you have to admit, the situation is a tad awkward," Vlad replied, "and not just for me."

Julia giggled.

"Glad you find my discomfort amusing," Vlad teased. Somehow this always came naturally around her. He didn't have to force it at all.

Julia responded with a playful nudge. "I do not," she insisted, "it's just that you shouldn't feel that way."

Vlad gave her a quizzical look. They had reached the table so he pulled out her chair for her.

"They're nice people," she whispered as she sat down, ending the conversation.

What did _that_ mean? Sometimes Vlad wondered if she fully understood _who _she was dating and what his past was. She sure didn't act like it.

Vlad sat down and Maddie brought out the food, a pasta dish since that was all Sam, even with Danny's and Vlad's help, had been able to cook successfully.

From here, things progressed quite well.. Food was eaten and conversations flowed. The whole Fenton family was enthralled with Julia. As a scientist at heart (biochemist to be exact), she was able to engage Maddie and Jack in some interesting discussions. Vlad felt himself relax.

Then came dessert. The plan was to go out for ice cream, but everyone was so stuffed from dinner that no one felt like moving.

"Come on Jack, go start the RV," Maddie said without enthusiasm.

"I would, if I could move," Jack replied in a dreamy state. "That food was just so good."

"Really good," Danny agreed, "Sam, where did you learn to cook like that?"

Everyone froze.

"Sam made the food?" Julia asked, confused.

Sam scowled at Danny.

"Oops," he offered with a guilty smile.

"We thought it'd be weird if you knew the truth," Jazz tried to explain.

"What's the truth?"

Vlad watched Julia's gaze drift around the table as she tried to make sense of the wacky family that surrounded her. Jazz and Danny exchanged glances.

"Mom's a terrible cook," Danny blurted out. There were some gasps as well as some laughs in response to his outburst.

"Usually whatever she makes winds up trying to eat us instead of the other way around," Danny continued.

He snuck a glance at his mom. She gave him a smile that said she didn't mind the teasing. Julia laughed once she saw that Maddie wasn't offended. The rest of the table joined her. It was such a happy moment. And then it happened.

Danny stopped laughing. No one had seen the little blue mist escape from his lips. But Vlad had been able to feel it and his eyes met Danny's across the table. Then there was a noise from downstairs in the lab, like a beaker falling on the floor and breaking. That got the rest of the group's attention.

"I'll be right back," Danny said quickly as he promptly disappeared.

Silence engulfed the table.

"So," Julia suddenly spoke. She didn't know exactly what was going on, but she had a good guess. "How long until we go after him?"

"Wow," Sam commented, "she catches on fast."

"I'd say now is good," Vlad said casually, pretending to check his watch. The night was going so well; he felt nothing could ruin it. Not even a ghost. He was wrong.

What they found down in the lab was not a pretty sight. Danny was floating face to face with probably the one ghost that could possibly make Vlad's blood boil just by looking at him. Aragon.

"I'm gonna say this again, cuz you seem to be a little on the slow side tonight," Danny was practically growling at the still-demoted prince, "leave _now_ and I _won't_ hit you so hard that-"

"Plasmius!" Aragon interrupted, darting around Danny to get closer to Vlad.

"Sorry, but I don't go by that anymore," Vlad retorted in a tone that could only be described as hostile. How quickly he had switched to his angry ghost-sassing mode! Was he perhaps thinking of showing off a bit?

Upon hearing the steel in Vlad's voice, Aragon paused a few feet away from him.

"You dare to speak to _me_ that way?!" he roared.

"Why shouldn't I speak to you this way?" Vlad snapped, "If I remember correctly, Danny and I beat you back into the Ghost Zone within an inch of your afterlife!"

"Fool!" Aragon hissed. He didn't even have time to get whatever stupid thing he was going to say next out. In a matter of seconds Vlad had his hands around the ghost's throat. What little ghost energy he had was radiating from his hands, causing more pain to Aragon than the chokehold itself. Vlad couldn't be certain, but he was pretty sure his eyes were glowing. (Danny would later inform him that it was more like blazing, but you get the picture.)

He couldn't help it. All he could remember thinking was that Aragon was danger. And there were people he cared about in the room. With the danger! He _had_ to get rid of the danger!

"Vlad?" Danny's voice broke through the maelstrom going on in Vlad's head. "As much as I appreciate all the help, would you mind dropping him for a sec?"

It was a nicer way of saying "Back off and take it down a notch" Vlad figured. Without a word, he dropped the "prince," who then wreathed on the floor for a few seconds, and backed up.

He was vaguely aware of Julia's hand firmly grabbing hold of his arm. He didn't even think to wonder why.

"What did you come here for?" Danny asked the now weakened ghost.

"Vl-aaad," Aragon rasped, "join me . . . together we ruuuule."

Danny looked at Vlad who simply took a deep seething breath in response. Looking back, it was probably _her_ hand that kept him from lashing out again.

"I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say he's not interested," Danny then told Aragon.

When Aragon didn't move, Danny looked over at Vlad again. Though he had calmed a bit, the expression of rage was still set like stone on his face.

"Yah, definitely not interested." Danny turned to Aragon expectantly. He still stayed. He had kept his gaze averted from Vlad's. But now he looked up at his tormentor.

However, it was not Vlad his eyes rested on, but the person behind him. If Vlad wasn't so focused on steadying his own breathing, he may have realized hers speed up.

"Alright, that's enough," Danny decided and sucked the medieval ghost into the thermos he had on his belt.

"Everyone ok?" he then asked. Somehow the Fentons and Sam got the hint that Julia and Vlad were _not_ okay. Still not daring to speak, Vlad turned to face the woman behind him. With his head now clear of the blinding fury of rage, he knew he had a lot to answer for.

He was pretty sure it was Maddie who ushered the rest of the group upstairs. Leaving them alone. And so now here they were. Alone in the basement lab. Just him and Julia. Julia and him. Julia and the monster he had hoped she would never come to know.

_She must hate me._

As much as it hurt, he continued to search her face. She wasn't looking at him, but at some random spot on the wall. Her eyes were wide and her breathing from her nose was harsh as she kept her mouth tightly shut in an emotionless line.

The seconds ticked by and Vlad wondered if he should be the first to speak. But what could he say? "Sorry you had to see me act like the powerful half-ghost I am and don't worry, it won't happen again. Unless of course another ghost tries to provoke me. Which will definitely happen again. But seriously, don't worry about it." Yah, _that_ would go well.

The silence began to feel suffocating. He _had_ to say something.

"Jules," he suddenly found himself saying softly, the nickname tasting sour in his mouth. What right did he have to use it anymore?

"Sh!" Her hand tightened around his arm. Why had she put it there? "Just gimme one more second," she continued in a fierce whisper.

Vlad stayed frozen until he could hear her breathing slow and the grip on his arm loosened.

"I um," he started slowly, waiting for her to give him a sign that she was ready to listen, which she did by turning to meet his eyes.

"I never wanted you to have to see . . . me . . . like that," he admitted with a deep breath, "well that side of me anyways. But, there's no hiding it. It's part of who I am. It may not control me as much as it used to but . . ." Vlad trailed off, deciding to stop trying to explain the unexplainable and instead just cut to where he knew this was going.

He was sure that at this very moment she was trying to think of how to say she never wanted to see him again. That was the only reasonable response to what she had just witnessed.

He waited, but she still didn't speak. It was killing him. Couldn't she just say it and get it over with? What, was she trying not to hurt his feelings? Little too late for that. And what did his feelings matter to her anyways? He was the monster and she was . . . gosh she was so beautiful, even as her mind struggled to comprehend all it had just witnessed and even though he knew the response it was formulating would break his heart . . . he still cared. And he didn't want her to have to struggle with all this craziness anymore. And so he opened his mouth, fully intending to break off . . . whatever one called what they had.

"Look," he began, slowly again, "I understand if . . . you don't want to . . . I mean, you don't even have to say anything. We can go back upstairs, say goodnight to everyone, and I'll call you a cab . . . and . . . you never have to see me again."

The last words came out in a rush and Vlad couldn't stand still once they were out. He began to walk to the stairs. But that hand was still on his arm and now it dug in deeper than it had the entire night. If Vlad hadn't started working out again, it might have actually hurt.

"Never see you again?!" Julia cried out, though her voice barely slipped above a whisper. He turned back to see her on the verge of tears and he felt himself instantly magnetized back to her side.

"Is that really what you think I want?" The green eyes had him in their grip. He could only stare at her in wide-eyed confusion.

She sniffled and glanced down at her feet, releasing him for a brief second. "I have a confession to make," she admitted, no longer whispering, though her voice sounded strained from almost crying.

"Not another fake ex, I hope" Vlad found himself joking. He couldn't fathom what had made him act so inappropriately, considering the situation. But then she smiled and even let out a giggle. Oh, that's why.

"No, it's nothing like that," she replied, "see, that was, well, you know how I just moved here a few months ago?"

Vlad nodded, unsure of where she was going with this.

"Well, that was my first . . . encounter, I guess you could say, with a ghost."

"You mean you've never even seen-?"

"Not even from a distance. The closest I've ever gotten was watching Danny fight on the news," she paused to laugh, but it was without humor. "You know how my friends at the lab tease me for being obsessive about my work?"

Vlad nodded again.

"They're just joking, but it's true. I spend so much time buried in books and petri dishes and microscopes . . . I hardly ever get out except for when my friends drag me somewhere!" She was laughing humorlessly again.

Vlad waited for her to continue, not knowing what to say.

She shook her head, regaining her composure. "So having never seen a ghost before, let alone have one threaten to hurt me or people I know, I guess I kind of freaked out . . . I mean, it was just so _unreal_." Her gaze retreated to her feet again.

Vlad remained silent. He was waiting for her to get to the part about him. It made sense now that she would react with such shock and fear when she had never been so close to a ghost. But some of that had to be because of him as well. He had acted so instinctually, letting his emotions guide him, somehow forgetting that she would be watching the whole time.

He could feel Julia's penetrating green eyes on his face now. They called to his own dull, glazed over eyes, but he was only barely aware of this as his mind continued to race with ideas about what she would say next. How he would go on without getting to see her bright eyes and coy smile over coffee every morning . . .

It was the hand, _her_ hand, moving gently upward from his forearm until it rested below his shoulder that finally broke his train of thought. He met her gaze with a guarded expression.

"And then there was you," she said, her voice going soft again. "You think what you did, how you reacted, scared me . . . is that it?"

"Didn't it?" Vlad replied, the volume of his voice dropping down to match hers.

Julia smiled. "No . . . quite the opposite actually."

"The opposi-? But-" He was silenced by Julia's lips swiftly, but gently, covering his. The hand she had on his arm worked its way up to his neck where it met her other hand.

Vlad found himself reflexively putting his hands on her waist, slowly pulling her closer to him as he kissed back. It'd been . . . awhile, possibly since college, that he'd been kissed like this, yet somehow he remembered exactly what to do. Maybe it was just something you never forgot how to do, but something told him that things wouldn't have been the same if it were anyone else kissing him right now.

Julia tenderly pulled back and Vlad let her. Her eyes smiled at his as she settled into his embrace.

Then all of a sudden, she leaned up on tiptoe so her mouth was right by his ear. "You make me feel safe." The words were barely a whisper, but Vlad heard them as if she had shouted them through a bullhorn.

She dropped back down onto her flat feet so that he could see her face again. Vlad suddenly found himself lifting his hand to brush his fingers across her cheek and down to trace her jaw line. He kept his eyes buried in hers.

"You . . ." he started quietly, "make me feel . . . like I haven't felt in years."

Julia smiled bashfully, but Vlad wasn't done. She tried to look down. He forced her chin back up; his hand hadn't left her face.

"I mean, I care about you . . . so much. Do you realize how significant that is? I haven't cared this much about anyone but myself in years. How . . . how do you do that?"

"Easy . . . I care too."

**Next update won't take as long, I promise. It's more Julia. Possibly the last with her in it. Well, with such a big part that is. Oh and it's a **_**Psych**_** cross-over, but people who don't watch **_**Psych **_**should be able to understand it.**


	7. 7 Psych XOver

**Ok so here's the scoop on **_**Psych**_** so that you can still read this one-shot even if you've never seen the show. It's really quite simple. Shawn is this young guy who pretends to be a psychic so that he can solve cases (mostly murders) with (more like for) the Santa Barbara Police Department. In reality, he's just hyper-observant so he notices things that most people don't. Using his unique skill he, along with his partner and BFF Gus, usually get ahead of the cops. Then he pretends to have psychic episodes that reveal what he found so that the cops get on the right track. Why does he pretend to be a psychic instead of just becoming a detective, you might ask? Well, for one thing his dad was a cop and he doesn't want to turn into his dad. The other reason is probably because he's never really grown up and so being a fake psychic is just way too much fun for him! Hope that helps! Oh and Lassiter (sometimes referred to as "Lassie" by Shawn) and Juliet are real cops of the SBPD who Shawn works with (sort of). Juliet is usually impressed with Shawn where as Lassiter barely tolerates him. Ok now I think that's everything! Enjoy…**

**Oh and I kept forgetting to give Julia a last name. Now I have. It's Ramsey. Don't ask why . . . cuz I don't really know.**

"Miss Ramsey?! Ow!" Shawn Spencer yelped as he was dragged back behind the bushes where his friend and business partner, Gus, was crouching.

"Shawn! What do you think you're doing?!" Gus whisper-yelled.

"Well at the moment, I'm praying that you didn't dislocate my shoulder," Shawn replied, rubbing his shoulder, "Now come on, was that really necessary?"

"You can't just walk up to Vlad Masters' girlfriend in broad daylight!" Gus scolded.

"What, you want me to wait until it gets dark?" Shawn asked, his tone turning playful, "Corner her in an alley somewhere? Gus, that would be much too suspicious!"

Gus gave Shawn his best you-know-that's-not-what-I-meant look and went back to peering through the bushes at the woman everyone in the world was labeling as either "insane" or "a complete idiot." Or both.

"And . . . and frightening," Shawn said, continuing his rant, "and frankly quite creepy. As associates of the Santa Barbara Police Department, I really don't think that's the image we want to present here."

"We shouldn't be here at all," Gus snapped. "Lassiter and Juliet said they were gonna look into it."

"Look into it? What does that even mean, Gus?"

"It means we shouldn't have wasted valuable time traveling all the way here since the cops don't even want us here."

"I'll tell you what it means," Shawn went on as if Gus hadn't spoken, "It means that they're gonna get on their little phones and they're gonna call up the Amity Park Police Department. They're gonna ask in the nicest way possible about perhaps what it might take to theoretically bring Vlad Masters in for questioning concerning a robbery-turned-homicide. And then the Amity Park cop who got stuck with phone-answering duty that day is gonna laugh in their faces and say 'You gotta be kiddin! You know how hard it is to get to that guy? He's got the world's teenage super hero Danny . . . Phantasm-"

"Phantom."

"Whatever," Shawn brushed off the correction as he delved back into his very animated explanation, "Phantom guarding him like a hawk. Someone accuses him of so much as littering and the kid's there, standing up for him, making the media cringe in their . . . media . . . boots." He trailed off, losing his focus for a brief moment. "Anyway, the point is, something is up with these half-ghosts, Gus! I can feel it."

"Are you suggesting that Danny Phantom, the kid who risked _his life_ to save the world, is a bad seed covering up for his ex-archenemy so that said ex-archenemy can return to a life of crime?"

"No," Shawn said, exasperated, "all I'm saying is maybe the kid's trusting the old dude a little too much. Maybe he doesn't have him as under control as he thinks. You got it now?"

"Almost, I just have one question," Gus replied, still not convinced Shawn knew what he was doing.

"Fine, shoot."

"If you want to talk to Masters so badly, why are we stalking the girlfriend?"

"Not stalking, Gus, never stalking! We're _tailing_ her. It's PI-jargon. It's way cooler and far less stalker . . . ish."

Gus's only response was a very annoyed look that said, "You gonna answer my question or what?"

Shawn sighed. "I called the Amity Park police," he admitted in a defeated voice.

"Ah-ha!" Gus burst out laughing. "They laughed at you, huh?"

"Yah . . ." Shawn peered through the bushes, pretending to lose interest in the conversation, choosing instead to watch their target as she continued to walk with a girlfriend through the park. "Wouldn't even help get me into that crazy house he's staying in . . ."

"It's not an asylum, Shawn, it's a psychological institution! And from what I hear, his shrink's helping him find a place to live, thinkin' about lettin' him move out."

"Yah I bet she's in on it too," Shawn replied, not really meaning it. "Ooh! Gus! The friend's leaving! Now's our chance!"

"Shawn what did I say abo-?" Gus turned to see Shawn already sprinting away from the bush and towards the unsuspecting woman in the park. He reluctantly followed his friend, muttering about how he never listens.

"Miss Ramsey?" Shawn asked, politely.

"Yes," Julia answered, turning to meet the stranger approaching her with weary eyes.

"We're really sorry to bother you," Gus started, attempting to apologize in advance for his friend.

"Whoa, time out," Shawn interrupted, ignoring Gus' heated glare. "You," he said, staring at Julia intensely, "have amazing green eyes. Look, Gus, just look at her eyes! Look at how they just pop!"

Julia blushed and looked away, trying hard not to fall for Shawn's charm.

"Really the cameras do _not_ do those beauties justice," Shawn continued.

"Shawn," Gus said in a stern voice.

"Right, moving on, you'll have to excuse me for being so easily distracted," Shawn laughed as he smooth-talked the still on-guard Julia. "It's funny cuz you would think that a psychic would be really good at focusing on _one _thing but in reality we're much more scatter-brained-"

"Wait, psychic?" Julia interrupted just as Shawn had wanted her to. Shawn stopped laughing. And so did Gus who had only joined in so that it was less awkward.

"Yes, Shawn Spencer, head psychic of the SBPD," Shawn introduced himself, holding out his hand.

"Wow," Julia commented dryly, "that's a new one." She ignored Shawn's hand and started walking.

Shawn and Gus quickly fell into step with her. "I'm not trying to make a move on you I swear," Shawn insisted, "The whole eyes thing? I just do that. I compliment people on random things all the time! You can ask Gus."

Shawn turned to his friend, but continued speaking loud enough for Julia to hear, "Gus, tell her about that time at the Clam Festival where I randomly walked up to that guy and told him he had nice hair…"

Gus only narrowed his eyes in return. Sometimes Shawn's lying got on his nerves.

"No," Julia stated abruptly, "you're not trying to get at me. You're trying to use me to get to Vlad . . . or Danny . . . or both! Point is, I'm sick of it! Can't you people just leave us alone!" She stormed up the stairs of what Shawn and Gus could only assume was her apartment complex. This was confirmed when she angrily pulled a set of keys out of her pocket and began searching for the right one.

"No please wait!" Shawn exclaimed. He shared a look of shock and shame with Gus. They hadn't meant to upset her.

Julia turned to them, looking fed up.

When they start to get that look, Gus knows it's time for him to take over. "Look, Miss Ramsey, we're actually here about a very serious matter." He gave Shawn a reproachful glare to show he meant business. "It does involve Mr. Masters, but it probably concerns you as well."

"Fine," Julia said with a sigh, "but what does Sylvia Browne over here have to do with anything?" She gestured in Shawn's direction.

"Ooh a pop culture reference," Shawn commented to show he wasn't offended.

"He wasn't lying," Gus continued, "we really do work in the psychic division of the Santa Barbara Police Department."

Julia smiled. "I like how you've cleverly left out the part about actually being psychic."

Gus was at a loss for words, but Shawn swiftly took over.

"A non-believer huh?" he asked with a skeptical look.

Julia just smirked and turned back to her front door.

"I bet you were that little girl," Shawn continued, taking on a wistful tone, "sitting in front at the magic show telling all the kids that the bunny was nothing but a stuffed animal…"

With a roll of her eyes, Julia opened the door and stepped aside, inviting them in.

"Oh we couldn't," Gus started. His attempt to politely turn down Julia's offer turned futile as Shawn eagerly stepped past Julia and entered her apartment. Gus had no choice but to follow his friend.

By the time Julia entered the apartment and closed the door, Shawn had already done a once-over of the place. Using his mad hyper-observant skills, he had been able to deduce that she lives alone, has no pets, and works for a lab in the biochemistry department.

Shawn turned his graze from the white lab coat thrown over the couch that had revealed Julia's profession to him and focused on the pictures decorating the mantle and coffee tables in the small living room.

Thanks to Danny's influence over the press, the details of Julia's personal life had been kept secret. Therefore Shawn had been very curious about the mystery woman everyone was judging before they even got to know her. He was pleased to see that she really wasn't crazy.

Julia brushed past Shawn, unable to see the observations brewing within him, and turned on the lights in the attached kitchen, tossing her keys onto the counter next to a stack of mail.

Shawn's eyes lit up as they past over the last picture in the room. "Time to convert the non-believer," he whispered to Gus.

Before Gus could respond, Shawn had gripped his arm with a cry of agony.

Julia's head snapped up from the mail she had started reading. She hurried over to where the two were standing (well Shawn was now bent over) in her living room.

"Is he okay?" she asked, her eyes wide with worry.

Shawn was breathing heavily and continued to sink towards the floor.

"He's fine," Gus started to explain, but Shawn suddenly jumped up, his hands spread out in front of him, palms facing away from him.

"You'll have to excuse me Julia," Shawn said, his voice sounding like he was still in pain. "It's just that," he continued, allowing his breathing to slow a bit, "there are some _really_ strong spirits present here," he paused for a gulp of air and his hands shook a bit, "desperate for contact with someone! Anyone!"

He checked Julia for a reaction. She was gaping at him, struggling to make sense of what was happening. "Tell me," Shawn softened his tone, "am I the first psychic to have visited your home?"

"I-I guess," Julia stammered, "I mean, I just moved here-"

"No, no," Shawn interrupted her sharply, closing his eyes in concentration, "I can feel a strong connection between you and them. They definitely followed you here."

"Why?" Julia asked automatically.

"They've been trying to communicate with you," Shawn replied, assuming his communicating-with-spirits pose. He sank to the floor and sat cross-legged, hands on his temples.

"What do th-" Julia started.

"Shh shh," Shawn hushed her.

Julia turned to Gus with a what-am-I-supposed-to-make-of-this? look on her face.

"He's using his psychic link to connect to and hopefully communicate with the spirits present," Gus whispered in a comforting tone.

Julia just stared at the two men she had invited into her home, her gaze switching from one to the other.

Shawn let out a deep breath. "Your parents," he whispered.

"Excuse me?" Julia snapped, sounding defensive.

"They passed away when you were quite young; am I correct?"

"Yes, but-"

"Shh."

Julia crossed her arms and stared down at Shawn.

"They have a message for you," he suddenly spoke again.

"Oh really?" Julia said, sounding skeptical.

"Yes," Shawn continued, ignoring her tone, "they're very proud of you. They know it was hard, growing up without them, but you did great."

Julia's face softened for a moment.

"You took really good care of your little sister. They're very grateful for that."

Gus could see the tears starting to form in Julia's eyes.

"Well Uncle Marty was a big help too," she said softly.

"Yes," Shawn replied with a smile, eyes still closed, "they're thankful for him as well."

Suddenly Julia leaned down and flicked Shawn on the forehead. "Ow!" he complained. "What the-?" He opened his eyes to see Julia glowering at him.

"I don't have an Uncle Marty," she spat. But then a smug smile spread across her face.

Now it was Shawn's turn to gape. Gus was trying hard to hold back his laughter.

"That was quite a performance though." She turned away from them and started to head back to the kitchen.

Shawn stood up, a look of bewilderment on his face.

"Okay, I'm sorry," he suddenly spoke up, "that was foolish of me. I have been blessed with a very unique and mysterious gift and it was wrong of me to fake it like that."

"What?" Julia spun around to face the fake psychic again. The full force of her green eyes hit Shawn, but they had no effect on him.

"I knew from other spirits that your parents were deceased and I was hoping they would be here to communicate with, but they weren't." Shawn was looking down at his feet, pulling off his I'm-so-ashamed act rather nicely. "So I pretended they were," he went on with a deep sigh, "I've had hundreds of psychic episodes before; it wasn't hard to fake one. But just because I can do something doesn't mean I should and I apologize sincerely."

Julia's jaw was on the floor, but she recovered. "No no no," she insisted with a look of disbelief, "I caught you. That's it. You don't get to keep pretending. Game's over. I won."

"Okay first of all I did not know we were playing a game," Shawn replied, not so ashamed-sounding anymore. "And secondly, I did admit that I was wrong-"

"Shawn!" Gus suddenly interrupted. "You just pretended to have a conversation with this woman's dead parents! I'm surprised she's not kicking us out!"

"Oh no, I wouldn't do that," Julia quickly put in.

Shawn and Gus turned to her, confused by her quick change in disposition. Maybe she was crazy…

"Sorry," Julia said, trying to explain herself, "I get competitive about things."

Shawn and Gus continued to gawk at the young woman before them.

"Hey if you want to pretend you're a psychic, that's your business. I mean, it's easy to find out about my parents, but the sister part was impressive."

"So was your uncle trick," Shawn shot back with a grin, recovering before Gus.

Julia smiled back and returned to the kitchen where she took out a big pitcher and some glasses.

"You guys like lemonade?" she asked casually.

"Love some," Shawn replied, taking a seat on one of the bar stools that stood at the small bar attached to the kitchen counter.

Gus came and sat as well but not without flashing Shawn another glare.

"You're right Gus, we should get down to business," Shawn said, angering Gus even more for once again ignoring his "Be nice" glare.

"Julia, would you by any chance know where your boyfriend, Vlad Masters, was the night of . . . last Friday . . . night . . ."

"It was the 16th," Gus clarified for both Shawn and Julia.

"Yes the 16th, I knew that," Shawn jumped back in, "do you know where he was on the night of the 16th?"

"Let's see," Julia thought out loud, pausing from filling the pitcher with water. "Last Friday, yes I was with him that night. We went out to eat, then over to the Fenton's."

"Then did you . . . come back to your place?" Shawn inquired.

"Psychic for the police, or not, are you asking me what I think you're asking me?" Julia snapped, the pitcher of water forgotten for now.

"We're sorry Miss Ramsey," Gus apologized, "but the robbery happened late at night, so unless you can confirm the where-abouts of Mr. Masters at 2 in the morning, we're afraid that-"

"I _was _with him at 2 in the morning," Julia quickly put in.

Shawn and Gus froze with twin are-you-for-real? looks plastered on their faces.

"Not like that!"

Their expressions turned skeptical.

"We were star gazing on the Fenton's roof with Danny and Sam until maybe 3 in the morning," Julia explained hotly.

"Right . . . star gazing," Shawn finally spoke.

"You can ask anyone," Julia continued to defend herself, "Vlad, Danny, Sam, Danny's parents . . ."

"Don't think we won't," Shawn shot back.

"Yah, if we can even get within shouting-range of any of them," Gus quipped. Shawn smacked him on the arm behind Julia's back.

"So it's a robbery," Julia went on as she got powdered lemonade down from a cabinet, "that you're accusing him of?"

Shawn and Gus shared a look.

"Well," Gus began.

"There was also a murder," Shawn took over, "but it wasn't premeditated. We think the security guard walked in on it and that's why he was killed."

"Oh," Julia simply replied, staring down at the pitcher, still only full of water.

"But if he was with you," Gus quickly reminded her, "then we're sure it wasn't him."

"I _know_ it wasn't him," Julia stated fiercely, making Shawn wonder who she was trying to convince more, them or herself. "What was it that even made you suspect him? This was in Santa Barbara, right?"

"Well, there was a list," Shawn replied.

"A list?"

"A list of all the multi-millionaires in the past twenty or so years," Shawn continued.

"Okay."

"Your boyfriend robbed quite a lot of them. Pretty much the top fifteen to be exact, well, _all _fifteen that is . . . _but one_."

Julia waited for him to continue.

"That one was Mr. Peterman, the man who was robbed the night of the 16th."

"So . . . what? You think he couldn't help but finish the list?" Julia asked, astonished.

"That was our thinking, yes."

Just then, the doorbell rang, breaking the dramatic tension Shawn had worked so hard to create.

"Expecting someone?" he asked.

"Shouldn't you know, Mr. Psychic?" Julia shot back.

Shawn flicked a few images of Julia's apartment through his head: two trash bags outside by the door, dirty dishes in the sink, several bottles of cleaning supplies on the floor by the cupboard directly under the sink.

"Repairman," he stated matter-of-factly, "for the disposal." He gestured towards the sink.

Julia looked a bit surprised as she went to go get the door.

"Nailed it didn't I?" Shawn boasted smugly as he turned to the door.

Julia didn't bother replying, but simply opened the door to reveal Vlad Masters.

Shawn and Gus found themselves, yet again, gaping as the couple exchanged greetings and a quick kiss.

"Who are your friends?" Vlad asked as he followed Julia to the kitchen.

"Well this one claims to be a psychic," Julia replied with a nod in Shawn's direction.

"Claims?" Vlad echoed.

"He told me you would be a repairman for the disposal," Julia explained.

"I'm impressed," Vlad admitted, sounding sincere.

Julia shot him a look.

"Well he was close, I mean that is why I'm here _now._"

"Of course the boyfriend always does the handy work," Shawn muttered, mostly to himself. "Shawn Spencer," he said, extending his hand to Vlad. "And this is my associate Burton Guster," he added, motioning to Gus who also shook Vlad's hand.

"Nice to meet you both," Vlad said. With a quick glance at Julia he then continued, "You can go back to whatever you were talking about. I'm just the repairman." He crouched down in front of the cabinets below the sink and opened them, but Julia pulled him back up. He looked at her questioningly.

"Um actually, honey, they want to talk to you," she explained carefully.

"You do?" Vlad asked, still confused.

"Mr. Masters-" Gus began.

"Please call me Vlad."

"Vlad," Gus corrected himself before continuing, "we're with the Santa Barbara police department and we have a few questions we'd like to ask you about last Wednesday night."

Vlad smirked. "Who got robbed?"

Shawn and Gus once again paused in surprise.

"How did you-?" Gus started.

"I'm psychic too," Vlad replied with a wink before he disappeared under the sink.

"Vlad, what were you doing last Friday night?" Shawn asked, peering over the counter. He shot Julia a look that told her not to answer for him. She nodded in understanding.

"Uh, I was out with Julia that night," Vlad answered, his voice sounding strange as he spoke from inside the cabinet. He emerged for a brief moment. "Do you have those tools we talked about?" he asked Julia.

"Yah." She left the room to get them.

"We were at the Fenton's for a long time later that night," Vlad continued for Shawn and Gus, "It must have been 2 or 3 in the morning when we left."

Julia returned and handed Vlad a tool kit.

"Thanks." Vlad went back under the sink. "Danny got a new telescope and so we were out on the roof all night, trying to identify constellations and such."

He popped his head back out to check with Julia. "That was Friday, right?"

She turned to Shawn and Gus.

"Your story checks out, Vlad," Shawn answered for her.

Vlad went back to tinkering with the sink from inside the cabinet. "Good," he replied with a laugh, "cuz in case you've missed the news for the past year, I don't rob people anymore."

"We're curious though," Shawn went on, "when you were robbing people you skipped over Mr. Peterman, the head of a huge and very wealthy corporation."

Vlad suddenly jumped up from where he had been on the floor. He leaned over the sink and switched on the disposal. It was at this point that Shawn and Gus got their first full view of the cuff clamped around Vlad's arm. They exchanged a look just as a loud, annoying, grinding sound greeted the ears of the group. Vlad quickly turned the switch back to the off position.

"Crud, thought I had it," he swore. He turned to Shawn and Gus. "Sorry, what was the question?"

"Why didn't you rob him?" Shawn asked firmly. Vlad just looked down at his hands that were resting on the counter. "He was the perfect candidate. No ghost-proof security and too rich for his own good," Shawn pressed.

Vlad turned back to the sink. "The answer to that is sort of personal," he finally answered, squinting down at the drain that led to the disposal. His eyes lit up and he reached his hand in.

"You have our word that everything you say will be kept strictly confidential," Gus assured him.

"Mm hm," Vlad merely huffed as he reached further down the disposal.

"Seriously," Shawn insisted, "we just want the truth Mr. Masters." "Vlad," he added when he still didn't get a response.

"Ah ha!" Vlad pulled up his hand triumphantly, turning it tangible fast enough that he thought no one noticed. A small silver spoon glistened in his fingers as he turned to show it to Julia. "I believe this was your problem, darling," he said with a smirk.

"Oh!" Julia exclaimed, putting the palm of her hand to her forehead in an oh-now-I-remember kind of way.

Vlad laughed at her.

"I was making tea and . . . and . . . oh give me that!" She snatched the spoon out of Vlad's hand, pretending to ignore his teasing smile.

"Don't I at least get a thank you?"

Julia turned from putting the spoon away with a mischievous look in her eyes. "Thank you _so much_ Vlad Masters for saving my disposal from that scoundrel of a spoon," she purred, wrapping her arms around Vlad's neck and seeming to forget all about her company.

Vlad smiled, his hands at her waist. "Careful what you say my dear, people may think you believe me to be some kind of hero," he tenderly mock-scolded her.

Julia just giggled, leaning closer.

Shawn was about to interrupt (or throw up) when Vlad suddenly turned to him. "The truth is that my sister is Peterman's personal assistant, or at least she was years ago. I've lost track of her."

Julia pulled back as if suddenly remembering Shawn and Gus's presence. Vlad let her, but took one of his hands and laced his fingers through hers so that she'd stay by his side. "If I had robbed him then, it could have hurt her financially," he finished.

Shawn and Gus still didn't appear to understand.

"I was raised in a rather . . . business-like manner, you could say," Vlad tried to explain, "Number one rule? You don't mess with family."

Gus continued looking skeptical. Shawn on the other hand nodded and looked deep in thought.

"Any more questions gentlemen?" Vlad asked in a somewhat dismissive tone.

"Just one," Shawn stated, looking up to stare Vlad straight in the eyes, "How'd you get the spoon out?"

"What do you mean? I just reached in and-" Vlad attempted to brush off the question, but Shawn cut in.

"I think you and I both know there was more to it than that." The gleam in Shawn's eyes and the strength of his tone told Gus that Shawn had figured something out; usually it was something he had already had a hunch about.

"And when I say know," Shawn added, starting to scare the couple a bit with how serious he had become, "I do mean _know_." He placed his fingers at his temple to suggest the knowledge had come to him psychically.

Vlad and Julia exchanged worried glances.

Shawn smiled. "We'll have to take a rain check on the lemonade," he said lightly, heading towards the door with Gus in tow.

"You're leaving?" Julia was taken aback. A second ago it looked like he had been about to bust Vlad for using his powers (which she knew he had, but it was still with Danny's permission so she wasn't worried) and now he was leaving?! Letting go of Vlad's hand, she rushed after the "phsychic."

Shawn opened the door and let Gus exit first.

"Wait," Julia said, grabbing the door. "If you're going to report to someone what you _think_ you know then we have a right to-"

Shawn cut her off. "I'm not a cop, Miss Ramsey. I don't report to anyone I don't want to. Or _anything_ for that matter."

Julia only gave him a worried stare. She was wrapped up in her thoughts, but she could have sworn she saw Shawn wink at her before leaving through the open door, which she then closed.

She turned to meet Vlad's eyes as he was still in the kitchen area. "Do you think he really figured it out?" she asked.

"I don't know," Vlad replied, sounding skeptical, "what do you think?"

Julia opened her mouth to reply, but Danny suddenly appeared next to Vlad.

"I'll keep an eye on him," he reassured the couple, glaring at the door.

**Wow. This did not go how I planned. At all. How did that happen? Oh well. Lemme know if you want more closure than this. I have more, but I think I should move on to something else. I'm trying for Monk next, but no promises. **

**Oh that reminds me! If you PMed me I'm sorry I have not replied. I locked myself out of my email (don't ask) and now am behind on a ton of emails and I am so super busy right now! Grr… I'll try to get around to replying soon. Sorry again.**


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